Confession

by Sarah Forester Davis

When I was 12, I met this boy. His life was the complete opposite of mine. He grew up on the beach with his single mom, spending his day surfing and wandering around Flagler in his swim trunks. I grew up on the Halifax with my callous parents, behind a gated driveway, wishing my life wasn’t already planned out for me.

I knew my parents wouldn’t approve of our friendship, so I spent two years sneaking over to his house, hoping at some point I’d have a say in how I lived my life.

When I was 14, there was an accident. As much as I wanted to keep him a secret, as much as I needed to see him every day, we were forbidden to ever see each other again. If I disobeyed my parents there would be consequences, ones that would destroy him.

Three years have passed, three years of watching myself waste away without him, sinking into a deep depression that I struggle to pull myself out of each morning. But then the unthinkable happens, his mom, she’s tragically gone and I find myself back in his life.

This connection we have can only be explained with one word. Soulmates. At 17, we are no longer innocent little kids, and on the verge of adulthood our relationship has changed over time.

We need each other. We have each other. Our chemistry is undeniable.

But there are secrets that have suddenly become unraveled. There are mysteries that we find ourselves trying to solve. There are people who show up in our beach town, strangers who bring buried knowledge about the past.

We find ourselves thrown into the middle of a dangerous game that could cost us both of our lives, and there’s one simple fact that seems to shout out at us as each day passes.

There was a reason we were kept apart.

Confession. This is our story.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

ebook

First published March 26, 2021

About the author

Sarah is the author of the mature, young adult romantic suspense book series, Confession (the final book was released in June!) Her Name is Hazel and His Name is August (which won Best Romance of 2022 by Feed my Reads!) Dallas & Georgia (which has gone viral on TikTok!). And her standalone, My Life as Bee.

Her young adult books have a fandom of readers around the world and have been read in fifteen different countries. You'll find romance, mystery, and suspense on each page, and a large following of dedicated readers that eagerly await her next release.

She's a travel addict, wife, Mom to 4 kids, 4 cats, and a crazy dog. She's also a beach bum and coffee snob, and when she's not writing or chauffeuring kids around, she can be found with coffee in one hand and a fishing pole in the other.

Follow Sarah on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for her latest book news.

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quote
**“Eva Calloway” he whispers, his breath brushing my lips. “If this is all a dream I’ll stay asleep with you forever so neither one of us has to be without each other again.”**

It’s safe to say I adored this book! I enjoyed how the story unfolds, the way the characters discover more and more about the past as we go on with twists and turns all over the place!

Eva and Bhodi’s chemistry pops off of the page, you can really feel their fizzle! I adored the “Confession” moments throughout the book, these were so adorable!

This book is a complete rollercoaster for the emotions. I cried, I laughed and had a few WTH moments which my partner had to check with me that I was ok because I was gasping and muttering to myself!

This is an amazing debut novel from this author and I crave more!!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (one of my top reads of the year!)
Recommend ✅

#sarahforesterdavis #evaandbodhi #confession #debutnovel #bookstagram #romance #newadult #upperyoungadult #favouriteauthor

[rhubooks]

I got bored unfortunately, maybe I’ll come back to it idk.

[Stephanie Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure how I heard about this book. It takes place a town north of where I live but I work there. The characters say “Flagler” and the “The Halifax” so frequently that I thought maybe the chamber of commerce paid each time they were mentioned. There are all kinds of mentions of actual locations / restaurants but the descriptions are not always accurate and sometimes really off. As I got further into the book, it’s terrible. I was thinking it’s like a scooby doo episode that wont end. Every plot twist is even less plausible and the teens are the only one who piece it together. Then the characters compare themselves to scooby doo. It’s not a nice portrayal of the area with lots of references to the teens and parents doing drugs. Then there are the sex scenes between teenagers. Who wants to read about that?!? Despite the local connection, I can’t recommend this to anyone.

[Sadie Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this book from friends in Flagler Beach. It takes place in my hometown and everyone is talking about it. SO HAPPY I got a copy! I LOVE Bodhi & Eva! I couldn't put it down. The author did a great job keeping my attention throughout the entire story. Every few chapters ended on a little cliff hanger, which kept me wanting to read more. The chemistry between Bodhi and Eva was to die for, and the ending had me screaming at my book. My only disappointment? I have to wait for the sequel because it's not out yet! Definitely one of my top reads of the year.

[Sabrina Ervin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the Hazel book by this author a while back and it was pretty good so I felt good about finding this book available at my library. The plot was interesting enough but the teenage sex made it weird. I had to fast forward through those parts.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I found this book on my kindle and didn’t realize how amazing it was!! It was one of those books that you need to read in one day. I love the friendships with Bodhi, Coop, and Beck. I just like the dynamics between them and the rest of the characters and I am in love with Bodhi and Eva. I love the setting! I also like how mental health is a major part of this book, because I think mental health is super important. Immediately I read the next book because omg I literally was freaking out when this one finished. Sarah is such an amazing author and I definitely recommend everyone to read her books and especially this book! Thank you for this amazing book you’ve written!!!

[Rachel Bustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s not very often you read a book and don’t want it to end. Confession is that book. You are drawn into it and you don’t want it to ever end. Can’t wait to read the next one!

Oh and if there is ever a book that needs to be turned into a film, Confession is it!

[Ava Trujillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo good! I love the plot twists and everything about it😁

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is so underrated it’s not even funny.

[Gabriella]

so good

[Jessi Gassmann Chauncey · Rating 5 out of 5]

AD-DIC-TIVE 💯‼️

Get ready to buckle up & enjoy the ride!!! 🙌🏼 As soon as I read the first page of Book 1, I didn’t stop until the end of Book 2!!! 📖 It was SOOO good. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I haven’t read a story this addictive in such a long time! I have been craving 😋 something that would get me jonesing for the next page, next chapter and finally found it. I loved the fact that there was suspense, mystery, a beautiful love story, amazing side characters that added so much fun to the story line, but most of all the badass Eva & Bodhi!!! Gah! Can I please have a Bodhi for myself?!?! 🥰

This author, where the heck has she been all these years?!?! 🤩🏆 I have been wasting time skimming pages, reading the end before reading the middle just to see if it’s worth it. Ultimately, dreaming of a story that would keep me on the edge of my seat, make me laugh, cry, and scream while throwing the book across the room like these 2 books did‼️‼️‼️ I had ALL the emotions but in a FANTASTIC, DONT MISS OUT ON THIS STORY, OR YOU WILL REGRET IT kind of way!!!

*My Confession-I had no idea that she was going to keep the story going with a 3rd book. 🥳 Normally, I wait until a series is finished before starting it……Impatient much! 🤪But, I’m glad I got a kick start on the life of these hilarious, LOYAL, adventurous, in ways damaged but inspiring group of friends that have made my quiet moments to myself so enjoyable. I am in my late 30’s and have no shame for loving and becoming an addict for the young adults of Flagler Beach!!!
I can say with 💯% certainty that WHATEVER Sarah Forester Davis writes, I will read! Addicted to her writing style, mind, and creativity!!! ⭐️

[Ronda Brown Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. I am definitely not a teen, and I don’t live in Flagler Beach……but Sarah is a neighbor and has been getting such positive feedback that as an avid reader I really wanted to see what was so attention grabbing about this book. Girl- you are a novelist! What an imagination and the way you transitioned your thoughts into words was pretty spectacular. I may have gotten up before the sun this morning and didn’t move from the couch until about an hour ago to finish the story of Bodhi and Eva and heck everyone else ….I have a soft spot for Coop and want to be neighbors with Calvin:) Be proud Sarah! I will be finding you to autograph my copy and can’t wait to read the sequel.

[Maryjoh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book, I have already read it once, but really wanted to listen to the audio that was just released! This is a must read with a lot of twists and turns in the plot!

[Book Junkie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so disappointed with this book. I'd held off reading it until Book 3 came out and from all the reviews and quote snippets I was expecting this to be a 5*+ read and it just fell completely flat for me. It took me days to get through the book and usually I would devour a book in a day or two!

I felt the characters were pretty shallow and we don't get much depth in the writing. There's just something missing for me.

In all the posts and reviews Bodhi and Eva are made out to be soul mates - I didn't believe it. I don't know if it's because we don't see them together from 12 - 14 on page and are just told about it but it didn't work for me. Eva has a good reason for having not contacted Bhodi after her accident and she has a good reason for having "moved on". She was stuck and really given no choice. What's Bhodi's excuse? He claims she is his soulmate and he has been lost without her for the 3 years they were apart but yet he made zero effort to try and talk to her despite living in the same town. We are supposed to believe they only saw each other once in a 3 year period and to top it all off Bhodi has been happily sleeping with every girl with a pulse and his friends joke about how he's lucky he didn't get any of them pregnant! We are also told countless times how "experienced" he is. The author then tries to explain it away as his way of dealing with his anger - nope! When will authors stop making every male they write about a manwh*re especially at 16/17! I'm sorry but if you truly felt someone was your soulmate you just wouldn't do that especially when that person lives in the same town as you! It was just too far fetched for me and Eva just brushes it off as if it's nothing! I honestly did not feel the connection between Eva and Bhodi at all and I'm so disappointed. I will say if we had seen some of the earlier interactions between the two or even them while they were separated that might have been better.....!?!

I honestly thought I would devour all 3 books but I'm not even interested in book 2!

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

This book had a lot of potential that it sadly didn’t reach. Imagine Outer Banks with a messier plot.

My main issue with it was that the entire mystery probably could’ve been tied up in two chapters if the characters had actually sat down and had a conversation with each other. There were far too many instances of characters getting annoyed because the truth was being withheld from them, then demanding answers and storming off a sentence into the explanation saying “I can’t listen to this!”. It got very tedious very quickly. Other frustrating answers were given such as “I’ll leave that for you to figure out”, “that’s not my story to tell”, “I’ll tell you part today and part another day”. Then there’s characters figuring out new clues and not sharing it or lying and then being annoyed that others hid things from them and lied? Plus there’s the mental gymnastics that Eva somehow managed to do to figure out these clues was frankly astounding - someone give her a gold star for that.

Eva and Bodhi didn’t have a ton of chemistry. There was a lot of telling and not much showing. I don’t know how many times they exclaimed they were soulmates and had loved each other from age 12, but other than Eva spending a lot of time either moaning or whining Bodhi’s name they just didn’t sizzle, and their actions while apart didn’t scream soulmate actions.

Sadly it wasn’t all resolved by the end, I assume this is going to be a series but it would’ve worked a lot better as a more concise standalone, at least for this couple. I’m not sure if I’d read further books, as I said there’s a lot of potential and I think it’s a case of this new author needing to find her feet and find her pacing. There is a great story in there it just needs worked out a bit more. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for future books in this series living up to the potential I hoped this one would meet.

[Sherri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw a reference to this book somewhere, and since I live in Florida, I thought I would give it a try. Unfortunately, it is mediocre at best and trite at its worst. With respect, I honestly don't know how it's gotten the high ratings it has.

I quickly realized it's YA material, something - at 60 years old - I just honestly can't relate to. Accepting that though, I figured why not be open to it, and even see if it makes me reminisce about young love and the adventures you seem to so easily see in life when you are young. Ah, if only those themes were well executed. It's an overly saccharine teen love expressed with every clichéd, vapid angsty turn of phrase you can think of. If I read "soulmate" or "I'll never leave you again" one more time, I think my mother's warning that my face is gonna stay that way would come to fruition.

I even thought the friendships and other characters were completely unrealistic. The focus was so pinpointedly on the 'soulmates' that the other characters were paper cutouts, just props in the scene, none of whom acted realistically in any way, shape or form.

The mystery is what made me continue, but 2/3 of the way through I really didn't care anymore to execute the brain power to piece any of the flimsy data that was attempting to be "clues". Having just now finished, I still have to stop and mental confirm what it was even about, and don't ask me to explain how some of the characters fit in.

Somehow, I finished, so I must have seen or at least wished for some glimmer in the writing or plot, although I can't pinpoint what. Maybe this author has some skills that will fine tune and develop over time, but unfortunately I'm not investing time to find out.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA romance novel was beautifully written. I definitely binge read this book because I just couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. I loved this story about Bodhi and Eva and how they became soul mates from the moment they met. There is a lot of mystery and “who done it” throughout the story and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find it all out.
The heartbreaking loss that Bodhi experienced at such a young age made me feel for him and pulled me into the story that much further.
again.
I did find the plot twists difficult to follow and found myself having to go back and reread some pages. There was a little summary at the end of the book as Eva and Bodhi talk with Luke, but I was still a little confused.
I love that the ending of this story was not rushed …. because there is another book! I’m looking forward to reading Confessions part 2 to see where the story takes us .

[Samantha Bissett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confession: not sure how to feel about this book. Overall I’m glad I read it, and I loved the connection I had to the Florida location. The ending was decent and definitely had my mind wondering about potential outcomes. I was not a fan of the “soulmate” lingo being thrown around, it felt a little too young or naive for me. But maybe it was just meant for a younger audience, I definitely feel like my younger self would have ate this book up!
The real reason I’m not giving this book a 4 is because the emotion behind it was just not there for me. It’s not hard to get me in a panic or tears over a book and when I should have been upset… I just wasn’t. I wasn’t in love with the characters that much. That said… I think I might pick up the sequel… so it definitely is good enough for me to keep reading!

[Sandra Fullalove · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautifully written love story a story of soul mates and family not al ways doing the right thing.
This is the story of Eva and Bodhi two 17 year olds who fell in love when they were younger and kept apart by Eva's father.when Bodhi's mother dies he reconnects with Eva and then begins the search for the answer as they realise they still love each other and are still soul mates.
This book keeps you on your toes there is so much going on as they follow the clues to try and unravel their family histories.
I loved this book this beautiful love story is just gorgeous.Its all set on a beach among this seaside community and I couldn't read it fast enough.Highly recommended x

[Tink Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know it was a series! This book was sitting on my Kindle for a week or so after becoming friends with the author on TikTok. I honestly thought it was a cute romance with a bit of spice and boy oh boy was I wrong.
This is an adventure of white collar crime, espionage, and secrets. The love story is center stage, but when you get deeper into the separation between their families and how little control Eva especially has in her life, secrets start pouring out and the mystery takes precedent in their lives.
I really enjoyed this book and I really don't know where it goes from here. It's not perfectly wrapped up with a bow, so I know there's more and my only prayer is that it's not a trilogy because I can't handle much more information thrown around to change the truth again.

[Kimberly Westrope · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. The story is interesting, with a number of twists, and held my attention. I liked all the characters…even the not so nice ones were well written and well developed. The only thing I had a problem with was Bodhi’s endless talk about his love for Eva and needing to touch her every moment. I get that they are 17 and that is foremost on his mind. I just got tired of him going on and on about it. I also love the secondary characters, particularly Coop, who brought a lot of humor to the story. Haven’t decided yet if I want to read the follow-up novel which continues Bodhi and Eva’s story.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first I liked it because it got outerbanks vibes and I LOVE that show. However I just found this book to be too overly dramatic for me (I like angst and drama but I had too many eye rolling moments) I really wanted to like this book. I also just couldn’t get over how he was 17 and she was 16 and everything seemed unrealistic adult like. Idk if I making sense however I found myself just skipping to the last chapter to see what happened. Maybe I’ll give it another go when I’m in a better headspace but for now it’s DNF.

[Mindy Scroggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might think this is just a teenage love story, and nothing else . It is a love story , but it’s also a mystery. It’s suspenseful, and Ms Davis weaves a tale that had me saying “you’ve got to be kidding me” and “WHAT”! I literally had to keep reading . And then the end . The END ! I’m so grateful I had the 2nd book already because it would have been a miserable wait if I didn’t ! I immediately started #2. And I’ll spend the rest of the weekend reading it in every spare moment . My guess is if it ends like #1 .. I’ll be eagerly anticipating #3!

[Taylor Dolan · Rating 2 out of 5]

On one hand I love how much the main characters love each other but also… they’re so young and it’s a little unbelievable? There’s also just so much “mystery” going on that I simply could not keep up 😅 The book did make me feel, so I give the author that for good emotional writing.

I did not finish the second in the series because I was just too confused.

Review is more personal preference & not a reflection of the author. If you like the Outer Banks on Netflix I think you would like this book!!!

[Jennah Sobevski · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed the Outer Banks vibe of this story and I kept trying to “solve the mystery” along with the characters. Eva and Bhodi’s relationship was really sweet, but a little over the top sometimes with the use of the word “soulmate”. They really did remind me of Sarah and John B with Eva’s dad trying to keep them apart and Bohdi’s parents both supposedly dead.

The twists and turns were good at keeping me wanting to find out what happens next.

**small note: the overuse of adverbs at times was a little difficult to read but overall I enjoyed the book and the plot ☺️

[Sorcia Lorde · Rating 2 out of 5]

One dimensional characters

The characters sounded one dimensional. I DNF, got to chapter 4 and the repetitive thought processes these two were having was maddening. I felt they were a bit dense, water down characters with very basic thought processes. Plus both of them with this soul mate jazz.

Kindle Unlimited books are leaving something to be desired. Haven't found a really good book in a while.

I tried to skip chapters because I am guessing something interesting is going to happen eventually. However, make it interesting at least by chapter 4.

[Deborah G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

What we have here is a teen romance & mystery split 50/50. I enjoyed the plot, liked the characters, although found them somewhat flat & as hard as I tried, couldn't fully connect with them. The author delivered some very interesting side characters, an impressive storyline but wow, this was a very long book. There was an epilogue but it didn't fully tie things up. Little did I know, this is a three book series, each one just as long, with more mysteries to solve. Am I up for reading two more to finally reach the end of the mysteries & secrets. I'm sorry to say, no, I am not.

[hailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars~ I was definitely entertained by this book but the beginning was slightly boring. “I want you” but I’m stuck in a difficult place type thing. Eventually the plot carries on and that’s where it sparked my interest. It brought in this mystery of how their pasts are intertwined without them knowing as well as how their parents and grandparents are. I like when an author comes up with something I can’t predict or haven’t seen before and this was definitely one of those moments. I never knew what was coming but it still had that teenage romance in there to add. I have quite a few highlights from this book. I do recommend!!!

[Lindsey Liddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me smile, made me PISSED, the ending especially. I don't wanna spoil but ARE U KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW ARE YOU JOKING WTF. WHY. WHY. WHY. WHY YOU BEAUTIFUL TALENTED SARAH FORESTER DAVIS. After this read, my brain wants to die.

Anyways besides my deep personal feelings on it, this book had lots of ups and downs, stayed interesting, and had a good balance between drama and romance. It was a little hard for me to keep up with so many characters that aren't necessarily active, but it made an amazing story once I sorted it out in my brain. Would recommend.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book up because Flagler is my home away from home. I loved being able to visualize the locations where things were taking place. I enjoyed this book and my favorite characters were Beck and Coop, they were so real. I did find the who is who part of some of the story confusing, and even had to draw a picture at one point to help me get it straight. Other than that it was an enjoyable read!