Finding Beauty

Love, Beauty & Soul #2

by Ann Penny

Sometimes, the greatest love stories begin with a second chance.

Starting over in New York City is Melanie Warren’s chance to prove she doesn’t need her parents’ wealth, high-society status, or her ex-fiancé, Grayson. Determined to stand on her own, she refuses to look back, until her new job brings her face-to-face with the one man she swore never to forgive.

Scott Blackwood is no longer the reckless boy with a troubled past. Now, he’s wealthy, powerful, and everything he once dreamed of becoming. But to Melanie, he’s still the man who shattered her seventeen year old heart and never looked back.

Their chemistry is undeniable, their past impossible to forget. As old wounds resurface and the lines between them blur, Melanie is faced with a choice: hold on to her heartbreak or risk everything for a second chance at love. Because the biggest secret of all? She never stopped loving him.

Genres: Second Chance, Audiobook, Second Chance Romance, Forbidden Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Billionaire Romance

Unknown Binding

About the author

Ann Penny is a contemporary romance author from Melbourne, Australia, known for her emotionally rich storytelling that resonate with readers drawn to tales of passion, resilience, and hope. A two-time finalist for the prestigious Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Romance Book of the Year Award, Ann Penny is quickly gaining recognition in the romance genre for the exceptional depth and heart in her stories.

When Ann Penny isn’t writing, she enjoys having a laugh with her husband and sons, cuddling her fur babies, and immersing herself in anything creative. Penny is always striving to craft something beautiful and unexpected while endeavouring to harness her hyperactive mind.

Reviews

[joni ౨ৎ]

this was so beautifullll

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read

i loved book 1 in this series, and i'm a bit hesitant to start melanie's story, especially after everything she's done. but depression rep and second chance is always something i'm looking for. i have a feeling this will rip me into pieces 😭

↪ started nov 26
↪ finished nov 26

[Nic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure how I could like Melanie after book 1 but Ann pulled it off because I fell in love with Melanie. Her struggles with her mom were really relatable for me. I felt so awful for her and all the things she went through. She redeemed herself and more. Don’t get me started on Scott. HE WAS PERFECTION!

[Brianna Higdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Capturing Love I was apprehensive about reading Finding Beauty because of how Melanie was portrayed in the book. A good portion of the start of this book focuses on the start of Melanie and Scott's relationship when they were teenagers and I'm so glad it did because it made me love them as a couple and root for their second chance at love. Melanie and Scott had difficult upbringings is very different ways. I love seeing them as adults and breaking away from their past to thrive on their own and together. I loved this book and rate it a 4/5 stars. I would recommend this book to lovers of second chance, forbidden love, and billionaire romances.

[Natalie Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING!!!

After finishing the first book I was sceptic if I was going to like Melanie as the main character cause she did some pretty shitty things in the first book. But I was dead wrong!!!

This book is pretty much in 2 parts. The first half is a flash back of Melanie and Scott falling in love in high school. We really get to see why Melanie acted the way she did in the first book.

Part 2 is present day where Melanie and Scott reconnect and have a second chance romance. And it was amazing!! The tension and groveling and longing, it was everything I needed.

Melanie and Scott deserve all the happiness

[thebeespot72 · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Book 1, Capturing Love, I continued to read the prologue and was surprised to find that Melanie’s story would be next in Finding Love. Her character developed into a likable one as the story progressed, delving deeper into the heavy role her family played in shaping her. In turn, she became increasingly dependent on Grayson. I liked how the author redeemed her character, and Melanie ultimately got her happy ending.

Thank you to Arndell and Author Ann Penny for the gifted copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tarynrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars✨️

I'm realising that I love a second chance romance😌

Melanie and Scott went through so much, but watching them heal was so heartwarming. The growth from both our characters was amazing.

This was such a captivating read! I finished it in two days (which has been difficult for me to do recently).

This one has made me even more excited for Adams book!

Thank you, Arndell and Ann Penny, for the ARC copy🩷

[Amy Elste · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely adored Melanie & Scott's story!

This is a second chance romance that will hit you with every feeling. The yearning, the tension, holy moly! I cried, I giggled, this book had me in my feels and I stayed up to finish it in one day!

I didn't think Mel would be able to redeem herself, but this is redemption story, and you cannot tell me her and Scott don't deserve it!

Melanie & Scott where high school sweethearts. One eventful night, Scott vanishes without a trace (or so Melanie thought). They reunite after years have gone by, and well, you should read it to find out what happens next 💕

Thank you to Arndell for the gifted copy 🫶

[Jenny’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

To describe this book would be another episode of gossip hirl where the scholar guy falls for the rich girl but when the scholarship guy works he’s way up to that world apparently he will still not be enough while the rich girl leaves everything behind because she can’t keep up with the mother’s expectations.

[Sarah Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

No notes. This audio was perfection. Heart breaking and so sweet all at the same time.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Beauty, book 2, features Melanie Warren, who is Grayson's ex and Scott Blackwood, Melanie's childhood sweetheart. Melanie was a bit of a villian in book 1, so it was actually really nice to get her redemption story. Part 1 of the book takes us through their high school years, whereas part 2 takes place in present day and whether the two can rekindle what they lost when they were kids.

Finding Beauty is narrated by Willa James. I enjoyed the narrator but as an Aussie, the fake Australian accent was so bad 🙈 lucky it was only for parts when Josie spoke, not the whole book

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ALC Review**
Finding Beauty by Ann Penny
Release date: Nov 11th
Narrated by Willa Jaymes ft. Sean Masters epilogue

I immediately loved the vibe of this book. It gave me The Notebook vibes (w/o the sad ending.) The first half of the story, we go back to high school for Melanie, Greyson, & Scott’s MUCH NEEDED backstory.
Melanie Warren and Scott Blackwood are from vastly different worlds. She's the extremely rich heiress to the Warren fortune, and he's from a poor working class family and attending their prep school on a scholarship. Until he left town and Melanie never saw or spoke to him again.
Scott was an “unacceptable” match, so he went off & made something of himself! But Melanie has since learned not to no longer be wowed by the fancy things. They have a lot to work out and many hidden secrets, but did fate bring them back together after all this time for a reason?

I loved Scott, and Melanie was redeemed in my eyes by the end, which honestly surprised me after reading book one!

The narrator did an excellent job portraying the emotions of these characters.

4.5⭐ 2🌶️

I was provided advanced copies of this series and this is my honest review. Thank you to Arndell Books and author Ann Penny for the ALCs!

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I wasn't kidding when I said I absolutely ATE this series UP! After devouring the first book, Capturing Love, in one sitting, I went on to read Melanie's, the only heiress to her manipulative parents' multi-billion conglomerate, Warren Media, story and OMG, it was as good as Grayson & Josie's journey. She wasn't someone I initially pictured her to be, the blonde bombshell who didn't have a brain and was a spoiled brat through and through. Instead, she had always been this kind-hearted L.A. girl who had brilliant taste in art and knew exactly what she wanted...if only she could escape from her terribly superficial parents' control.

We caught a glimpse of her life and her story with Grayson in the first book, and now, I was more than excited to read about her redemption after cutting herself out of her parents' life and finally learnt to live independently. The best part? Her childhood first love, Scott Blackwood, had always loved her even after their nasty fallout eleven years ago. It broke me to see what happened to Lanie and what kind of lie and its consequences she had to endure throughout the years, but in the meanwhile, knowing Scott was back in her life to piece back all those broken shards of her heart, mine was mended as well. <3

All in all, Finding Beauty was yet another amazing read from Ann, and I couldn't wait to continue this journey with Adam and Cassidy's story in the final installment, Saving Soul! Needless to say, I'd HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book/series to everyone!!

***Massive thanks to the author and Arndell for kindly providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

[Hayley 〰 Hayley's Next Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

- second chance romance
- dual timelines
- past: opposites attract & forbidden/secret romance
- present: billionaire & he's her client
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- single pov

If you enjoyed the first book in the series, you'll enjoy Finding Beauty. It carries the same level of emotion and complexity, but this time, we dive into Melanie’s story.

The first half is set in the past when Melanie is best friends with Grayson in high school and falls for Scott, the off-limits scholarship student at their prestigious school. We watch them fight their feelings, give in, fall in love, and then get torn apart in a tragic and heartbreaking way.

The second half picks up where Capturing Love ends, with Melanie leaving rehab and starting over in New York City. Her new art gallery job brings Scott back into her orbit. Once Melanie reappears in his life, Scott refuses to let her slip away again, even though she's understandably guarded. He stands by her while she finally learns how to stand on her own two feet and claim the independence she has always wanted.

They're surrounded by a strong supporting cast, including Josie and Grayson from book one, familiar faces from their past who reappear in unexpected ways, and Scott’s younger brother. There's also a late plot twist that completely caught me off guard. It fits the story and sets up book three perfectly, though.

So, if you like your second chance romances full of family drama, emotion, and just the right amount of messiness, I recommend Finding Beauty.

[its_just_christin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book more than I thought I would at the beginning. I was a little torn about Melanie after Capturing Beauty and wasn’t sure there was anyway I could like her. I was so wrong. Melanie has a redemption arc like no other. She’s a broken, complicated person that wants to do better and be better and I love her for it.

Melanie’s first love Scott comes from a completely different world. She’s from a very wealthy powerful family and he has a scholarship to their school, works and takes care of his little brother because his father is a waste of space. Melanie’s parents are against her seeing Scott and are determined for her to marry Grayson so their companies can merge and make them all more wealthy and powerful.

When Scott disappears after getting into some trouble that Melanie’s father helps him get out of it Melanie is devastated. So when Scott comes back in the picture years later she wants nothing to do with him. Reading their story and watching them grow and come back together was beautiful. They had so much to work through but they did it and were all the stronger because of it.

I listened to an ALC of this book narrated by Willa Jame with epilogue by Sean Masters. I enjoyed her narration and found it very easy to listen to. Thank you, Arndell and Ann Penny, for providing this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Beauty by Ann Penny absolutely surprised me in the best way. When I realized Book 2 was centered on Melanie (basically the villain of Book 1) I actually groaned. How on earth was she going to redeem herself for an entire book?

Well…she did. And not only that, I think I ended up loving her story even more than Josie’s. Getting a real look into Melanie’s past made all the difference; it doesn’t excuse her actions, but it does shows just how few options and how little support she truly had. I really felt for her, and could see how she got to be the person she was in book 1.

Her second chance romance with Scott, her high school love, was everything I want in that trope...heartfelt, believable, and blissfully free of dragged out drama or miscommunication. Their HEA felt so earned, so deserved, and the epilogue wrapped it all up perfectly.

And Willa James as the narrator? Flawless. I could listen to her all day.

A fantastic follow up that completely changed my mind about a character I thought I couldn’t root for!!

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.8 Stars)
Melanie Warren is now single after her fiancé called off their wedding and fresh out of rehab ready to begin again. Scott Blackwood was someone she cared for as a teen but her anxiety got the best of her back then and they never saw each other again until as adults, he shows up at an art event she is working. Can they put their issues aside and rekindle what they had a teens? An emotional second chance romance that does delve into some serious topics o he aware. This gives you the full picture of who Melanie & Scott are as the first half is told from the past tense when they are all teenagers then switches to the present. It helps you understand what both went through making them the people they are today. You will remember Melanie’s ex-fiancé from book one, capturing love, so it helps to read book one. Told in first person and Melanie’s POV

[Mo ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟
Forget my last review for the first book, I ABSOLUTELY adored the FMC.
I enjoyed this SO MUCH more then the first book, I didn't really have any thoughts about the MMC to be honest. BUT I loved the FMC and her journey. She redeemed herself in this book, her actions in the first book made so much more sense in this book after reading about her life. I would've given it a higher rating if I liked the MMC much but like I said, I had NO thoughts about him. I feel like he should've tried much harder to get back with the FMC, too bloody weak for me. Just like the other MMC from the first book. I don't know what's up with all these beta males in this series. BUT IM HOPING the third book is better then this, Adam the MMC for that book is giving alpha vibes but let's see. I hope he doesn't disappoint me like the men have so far. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Other then that, loved it. 💓🫶

[My Reading Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott and Melanie share a history that began back in high school. Circumstances pulled them apart, but neither ever truly forgot the other. Years later, fate brings them back together as adults, each carrying lingering questions and old wounds from their past. Their reunion isn’t an easy one but both must confront the choices and misunderstandings that shaped their lives.

Willa James beautifully captures their story, bringing raw emotion and tension to every scene. Scott and Melanie’s journey feels authentic, heartfelt, and deeply moving. This is a story that will warm your heart, but not before taking you on an emotional rollercoaster. It’s a must listen that absolutely deserves a place on your TBR!

Thank you, Ann Penny and Arndell Books for the ARC/ALC.

[MHT Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love me an interconnected stand alone, and Finding Beauty gives us Melanie’s story. We get a glimpse of Melanie. FMC) in Chasing Love and let me tell you that getting her full backstory was ridiculously eye opening. This book was crazy emotional as we watched the lows and cheered for the highs she fought so hard for. Scott (MMC)was a broken kid from the wrong side of the tracks who just loved Melanie. Of course things are never easy and seeing them both struggle was hard. Willa James did an amazing job bring Finding Beauty to life and giving us such an amazing portrayal of Melanie. Sean Masters once again performed the epilogue which was amazing. I loved, loved, loved Finding Beauty.

[Misty • booksplusplants · Rating 4 out of 5]

After book one, I was so ready for Melanie’s story. I needed her to stand up for herself and find herself. Happy to say she does both of those things, and I loved listening to her journey.

This was pretty angsty and emotional. There were so many secrets, betrayals, and lies. It was a messy story, but had a lovely meaning. To do what you want with your life, do what makes you happy, have confidence in yourself and your choices.

I literally hated Melanie’s mom. Not sure if I’ve ever hated a book parent like I hate this woman.

ALC review

🎧Single narration
🎙️Narrator: Willa Jaymes
& epilogue by Sean Masters

🩷Dual timeline
🧡Second chance
🩷From different worlds
🧡Secrets

[Taylor Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Ann Penny’s first story in this series, ‘Capturing Love’, but I think I enjoyed this one more. There’s angst, serious themes and so much love between the main characters. The tragedy of what happened appeals to my tastes and made the story so binge-worthy, I had to force myself to stop reading and actually go to work (such an inconvenience!). The characters are well developed and their dialogue engaging. There is just the right balance of steam, romance and self-development in this story, and it definitely has me wanting to read the next one in the series. Thank you for letting me read your wonderful book, Ann Penny!

[Bárbara Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review 🥹

I honestly didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, but it’s sooo good 😍
It absolutely broke my heart with the chapters that happen in the past but then it put it back together and it was lovely.
I loathe both their parents so much it’s not even funny and I’m so glad they found their way back to each other in the end, and the resolution was really beautiful, as was the writing 🥹
Veryyyy excited to read/listen to the last one🙂‍↕️

4,5🫖

[Reading with Randa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've read book 1 of this series, Capturing Love, you'd understand why you have to read book 2. I got a glimpse of Melanie in book 1, and thought I knew her and had mixed feelings about her. Finding Beauty goes into why Melanie is the way she is. She has layers, good and bad with many experiences that shaped her as a person. Even though she is wealthy, she has trauma to overcome. I couldn't help but root for her throughout this book and hoped she would get her happily ever after.

[What.Nikki.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
redemption for Melanie 👏🏼👏🏼

full rtc

[Books I Flove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Beauty is about Melanie, who we met as a rich and spoiled brat in Capturing Love, stirring nothing but trouble. I honestly never thought I’d want to read her story, but Ann Penny proves me wrong!

This book gives us a bit of a background information so we understand not only Melanie better, but also Grayson, even tho he found his love already in Capturing Love (which is strongly advised to be read before this book).
Scott and Melanie, or Lanie as he calls her, met in Highschool when he moved there for senior year. There’s attraction, but Lanie blocks it, as she instantly knows her parents would never agree. Due to a whole big drama he leaves school and they lost touch. Until years later they met again in the gallery where Lanie works now. Is there a second chance possible?

Wow, wow, wow. So many wow’s! There’s a lot of drama, yes, but also so much emotion, love, hate, resentment, sadness and more. Everything! Ann Penny definitely presents us a FANTASTIC story and redeems Lanie completely! I’d have never thought it’s possible…

Absolutely adored this book. Felt the pain and loved the love. And the side characters!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

I kindly received an arc from the author and voluntarily left a review

[Brit Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC & ARC Review: Finding Beauty by Ann Penny ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow!!!! If I thought I loved Capturing Love by Ann Penny, I’m completely head over heels for Finding Beauty! I’m a sucker for a redemption arc and book 2 in the Love, Beauty, Soul series gave me every emotion I could want in a romance. I loved getting Melanie, Grayson, and Scott’s backstory from when they were in high school and seeing how their friendships, heartbreaks, and choices shaped who they were in book one.

Melanie’s growth in this story was incredible. I was completely captivated by her journey and by Scott Blackwood (who we only got a glimpse of before but fully shines here). He’s the definition of a man with depth: rough beginnings, quiet strength, and a heart that never stopped caring for her.

This book had it all…hardships, secrets, betrayal, and healing, but at its core it’s about learning to stand on your own and finding confidence in yourself. It’s also about knowing it’s okay to be with someone while still having the strength to be your own person. A truly powerful read.

Again the narration was amazing! Willa Jaymes and Sean Masters just brought these characters to life! Well done!

PSA: do not sleep on this trilogy coming November 11!

Thank you @annpenny.author and @arndellbooks for the ARC & ALC.

[hellothriftypages · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️Audio Review⭐️

Finding Beauty
Book 2 in the Love, Beauty, and Soul Series
Rating: 5
Spice: 1.25🌶️

💗A Love Story for the Ages💗

Told in two parts, this book completely stole my heart. Finding Beauty is a coming of age romance between two young souls who live completely different lives, yet their love is utterly unmatched. Melanie(Laney) and Scott’s journey pulled at every one of my heartstrings and had me so deeply invested in their story.
My heart truly ached for Laney and everything she went through while trying to live up to her family’s high society expectations. Watching her grow and come into her own over those 11 years was one of my favorite parts and she’s easily one of my favorite FMCs now. I also loved seeing Grayson and Josie again (and a few surprise faces from Laney’s past ).
By the end, this book felt like one big, beautiful hug: full of healing, hope, and love.

If you’re looking for a story about second chances, defying family expectations, finding independence, and embracing found family, Finding Beauty is exactly what you need.

Thank you Ann Penny and Arndell team for this ALC!

Tropes
•second chance
•coming of age
•dual timelines
•single FMC POV (epilogue MMC)
•opposites attract

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Beauty by Ann Penny.
Published by Arndell — thank you to Arndell for my gifted ALC/ARC.

Okay, confession time: I didn’t want to like Melanie Warren. After Capturing Love, she was solidly filed in my “girl, please” category — rich, reckless, emotionally unstable, and allergic to accountability. I was ready to side-eye her forever. But Ann Penny? She had other plans. She cracked open Melanie’s story and said, “Let’s see how you feel once you actually understand her.” And now? I’m fully obsessed. I would die on the “Melanie Warren deserved better” hill.

Finding Beauty isn’t your average second-chance romance. It’s sharp, heavy, and stunningly real — a love story layered with heartbreak, family trauma, addiction recovery, and rediscovery of self. It’s about two people whose lives fell apart in totally different ways, who somehow find each other again when they’ve both learned how to stand on their own. It’s the kind of story that doesn’t just pull your heartstrings — it plays them.

The book opens with teenage Melanie — cold, elegant, and emotionally starving in her Manhattan mansion. She’s been groomed to be perfect, not happy. Enter Scott Blackwood: the poor scholarship kid from the wrong side of the tracks. He’s brooding, brilliant, and the only person who ever sees the real her. Their chemistry is electric and reckless, the kind that feels doomed from the start. And surprise — it is. They break, brutally. He disappears. And she spirals.

Fast-forward eleven years. Melanie is sober, rebuilding her life in New York City, trying to make her own name in the art world. No family money. No safety net. Just grit. Then her new client walks in — and it’s Scott. Older. Sharper. Successful. The man she never stopped loving, even when she wanted to hate him. The tension between them is feral. Every scene drips with unfinished business, heartbreak, and that slow, torturous kind of love you can’t kill no matter how hard you try.

Ann Penny has a gift for emotional realism. She doesn’t romanticize trauma or addiction. She makes you sit with it. You feel Melanie’s pain — her fractured family, her shame, her resilience. You see Scott’s quiet suffering, the way he carries guilt like it’s oxygen. They’re two people shaped by the worst parts of their lives, trying to find beauty in the wreckage. And somehow, they do.

Melanie’s growth is what broke me in the best way. She’s not instantly “fixed.” Her recovery is messy. Her emotions are raw. She’s still figuring it out — and that’s what makes her so human. Watching her reclaim her voice, make peace with her past, and fall in love on her own terms felt like watching someone learn how to breathe again.

Scott Blackwood deserves his own fan club. He’s not your typical alpha — no toxic masculinity, no possessive nonsense. He’s gentle but fierce, patient but passionate, and his devotion to Melanie feels earned, not performative. He’s a man who learned how to love without losing himself.

The dual timeline format works perfectly. The “then” sections show the innocence and tragedy of their young love; the “now” sections show the aftermath — the scars, the forgiveness, the rediscovery. Together, they form a narrative that’s heartbreakingly complete.

And let’s give credit where it’s due — the audiobook narration by Willa Jaymes (with Sean Masters for the epilogue) is nothing short of phenomenal. Willa captures every crack in Melanie’s voice, every ounce of vulnerability. Sean slides in for the epilogue like emotional closure personified. If you’re an audiobook fan, do not miss this one.

Favorite quote: “Some loves don’t fade. They fracture and scar, but they keep beating underneath it all.” That line hit me square in the chest. It sums up the entire story — love that survives damage, not in spite of it, but through it.

Finding Beauty is about redemption, forgiveness, and the kind of love that demands you face your past to deserve your future. It’s messy. It’s raw. It’s breathtaking. And it cements Ann Penny as a master of emotional storytelling.

Final rating: ★★★★★

#FindingBeauty #AnnPenny #LoveBeautyAndSoulSeries #SecondChanceRomance #BookReview #RomanceBooks #EmotionalReads #RedemptionArc #FoundFamily #SlowBurnRomance #SpiceAndSubstance #HeartfeltFiction #BooksWorthReading #BookstagramReads #RomanceBookTok #LoveAfterTrauma #CharacterRedemption #FictionAddict #BookBlogger #HealingThroughLove #KindleRomance

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ann Penny delivers a deeply moving second chance love story in Finding Beauty, the second of the Unkonwn Binding series. By the final pages, my heart was full. The journey of Melanie and Scott felt complete and profoundly satisfying. It is a story about second chances, self-acceptance, and the kind of love that endures through time and struggle.

Melanie Warren’s life has been anything but easy. Fresh out of rehab and still recovering from a broken engagement, she’s determined to rebuild herself and start anew. When she crosses paths with Scott Blackwood, the boy who once held her heart in their teenage years, old feelings resurface along with the pain of everything left unresolved. What follows is a powerful second-chance romance that explores healing, forgiveness, and rediscovering love after loss.

The story unfolds in two timelines. The first half takes us back to Melanie and Scott’s teenage years, revealing how their relationship began amid family expectations, class differences, and emotional turmoil. Melanie, raised in a wealthy but cold environment, is constantly pushed to maintain an image of perfection, while Scott comes from a struggling family and fights to prove his worth. Their connection feels raw and real, a bond formed through vulnerability and defiance. Yet one heartbreaking night changes everything, and they go their separate ways.

Years later, Melanie is older, wiser, and trying to move past the wreckage of her past. She has traded chaos for art, throwing herself into her work as she tries to redefine who she is. Scott’s unexpected reappearance at an art event forces her to confront the memories she buried long ago. What begins as tension slowly turns into something deeper, as both must face their shared history and the people they have become.

This book delivers everything that makes a second-chance romance unforgettable. It is emotional and deeply introspective, touching on grief, addiction, mental health, and self-forgiveness while still giving readers a love story that feels authentic and hopeful. The chemistry between Melanie and Scott is undeniable. Their intimacy carries both tenderness and heat, and their emotional connection feels as strong as it was when they first met.

Melanie’s journey is especially powerful. Once portrayed as cold and detached, she is revealed here in all her complexity. She's a woman shaped by trauma, pressure, and loss, yet still capable of growth and love. Scott, once the rebellious boy from the wrong side of town, emerges as strong, patient, and compassionate, the kind of man who learns from pain rather than being defined by it.

What makes this story so compelling is how it balances heartbreak with healing. It captures the beauty of rediscovering love in the midst of chaos and finding light after years of darkness. The emotional depth, the layered characters, and the stunning storytelling all come together to create something truly memorable. A beautiful story (and I didn't even read the first in the series, but I know that TOO gives lots of glimpses into these two, so now I want to go back and read it!)

This was also a great audio listen performed by Willa James and with the epilogue by Sean Masters. I normally prefer a more dual POV approach, but here it worked for the narrative. And Willa James was fantastic with all the chapters and all the emotions. Sean Masters is my favorite male narrator, so I loved getting a little of him at the end- definitely a treat.

[Amy Storment · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Finding Beauty by Ann Penny
🎤Willa Jaymes
Epilogue read by Sean Masters

Book 2 in The Love, Beauty & Soul Series
SOLO NARRATION
4.5 ⭐

Thank you Ann Penny and Arndell for a #gifted copy of the ARC & ALC. All thoughts are my own.

I'm not gonna lie, after book one, I wasn't necessarily looking forward to Melanie's story. She really sucked the life out of Grayson & he put up with a lot of crap from her but I was dead WRONG! It didn't take long for my thoughts to change quickly about Melanie. From the very beginning, I found myself totally sucked into this beautiful 2nd chance story.

This book is divided into two parts: First half looks back on Melanie growing up, becoming best friends with Grayson & meeting Scott and falling totally in love with him in high school. We get A LOT of background story that really sheds light on WHY Melanie acted the way she did in book one. It was honestly heartbreaking but one thing was certain, Melanie & Scott were in love, a deep kind that doesn't just fade away quickly.

The second half is present day. Melanie & Scott reconnect through a work project. It's awkward & it hurts because Scott just up & left without a trace and it left some deep wounds for both of them. Melanie's character grows so much in this story. We get a deep dive into her family dynamics & how that really shaped her as a person as she moved into adulthood.

Melanie's character was redeemed & in the best way. Listening to her relationship with Scott begin to flourish again just made me so dang happy & put a huge smile on my face as I listened to the audiobook. This guy had NEVER stopped loving her. This book is thoughtful & tender as they both work through baggage from the past. Oh you guys, I loved it so much! Ann really has a knack for capturing small, quiet moments between her characters & I loved all the ones we get with these two. They felt vulnerable, emotional & totally relatable. Scott was perfect, not only with Melanie but in all areas of his life. He was THE GOODS ya'll & I loved listening to their 2nd chance at love.

🎤Let's talk audio: OMG! You guys, Willa Jaymes performed this audio so beautifully. She breathes life into Melanie & made her such a lovable & beautiful character for me. I wasn't expecting to like her so much & Willa just added so much depth, emotion & GOODNESS to Melanie's character. She's the girl who seemingly has "everything," but inside was dying, hurt & self conscious. We get all of that emotion in Willa's performance and Sean Masters is the cherry on top of all this gooey goodness, performing the epilogue as Scott!🥺 He was perfect! 👌

This series is for all my babes who love to feel, want the yearning & tension and believe in 2nd chances. I definitely recommend this one! Loved it so much!