A Love Letter to Whiskey

A Love Letter to Whiskey #1-1.5

by Kandi Steiner

From USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Kandi Steiner comes this #BestofBookTok favorite - an angsty and powerful story of lovers continually fighting the curse of bad timing.

Brecks Kennedy has spent years writing the story of her life, but there’s one chapter that never quite closed… Jamie Shaw.

It all started with a jog, a clumsy collision, and an instant crush. But while B’s heart skipped a beat, Jamie’s eyes found her best friend instead. And just like that, her crush became her closest friend. Bound by shared moments of music, surfing, and secrets, their connection is undeniable, even as they desperately try to fight it.

But between college campuses, chance encounters, and stolen moments, fate has a way of bringing them together when they least expect it, time and time again.

As they wrestle with their feelings and the choices that have kept them apart, both B and Jamie must decide if they are finally willing to risk everything for the love that’s always been just out of reach. Sometimes, love isn’t about finding the right person, it’s about the moment when everything aligns. But what if that moment never comes?

Heart-wrenching and addictive, this is a story of love, loss, and the years it takes to finally get it right.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook

518 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 18, 2021

About the author

Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”

She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.

CONNECT WITH KANDI:
➜ NEWSLETTER: kandisteiner.com/newsletter
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/kandisteiner
➜ FACEBOOK READER GROUP (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandilandks
➜ INSTAGRAM: Instagram.com/kandisteiner
➜ TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@authorkandisteiner
➜ PINTEREST: pinterest.com/authorkandisteiner
➜ WEBSITE: www.kandisteiner.com
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:
➜ www.kandisteiner.com/events

Reviews

[kendyl ʚ♡⃛ɞ (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“i saw him first, but it didn’t matter. because he saw her.”

“so, you see, b was right about a few things when she told you about the first time we met. but she was wrong about one very, crucial point. i didn’t see jenna first. i saw her. i just didn’t think she saw me.”

this book is a MUST read! my rating? yep you guessed it… ♾️⭐️’s. my favorite read of 2023, my favorite read period. this book could literally put me in a year long reading slump. wow. this book has me speechless. i have so much to say with fortunately all the time in the world to figure it out and put my feelings into the most perfect review because this book deserves nothing less. i’m absolutely blown away. kandi steiner is an absolute genius. i love her and her book, but it’s hard to believe that she wrote this book because in my mind, she didn’t. b and jamie wrote this book, wrote these beautifully painful love letters to each other. genius. the right person, wrong time…the absolute definition of this book and it completely tore me apart and put me back together…repeatedly. the amount of tears i cried is actually embarrassing. i cried for so many different reasons. i cried for b. i cried for jamie. i’m crying now because i don’t want to let this book go. i feel like i can’t move on and read another book because nothing will compare to this :(

“i read romance because it’s fun to fall in love. and with romance books, i get to do it over and over. i get to be different types of lovers, i get to feel the heartbreak of love and the successes. love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and i think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all times through books.”

this quote…straight outta this book. it’s exactly how i feel after reading this story…both sides of b and jamie’s story. i felt the heartbreak of love. i’ve never felt it more in any other book. i feel exhausted as if i was the one who went through 11 years of heartache and not them. the writing was so raw, beautiful, gut wrenching. this book read like a movie. i could see everything, hear everything. i could see the love they shared, see the happiness, she the sadness, hear the pain in their voices. guys i cannot imagine reading the original book without jamie’s pov and all the added stuff at the end. like i seriously can’t imagine. although the original epilogue to this book was everything and more, it wouldn’t have been enough for me. i’ll forever think about the last 6 words of b’s epilogue. the way it made me feel is indescribable. if you’ve only read the original in b’s pov, i seriously encourage you guys to read this version. jamie’s pov means everything to me. the things he’d say in his head about b🥹i was literally SWOONING.

“god, why is she so fucking cute it hurts?”

“her gray eyes shone in the bit of moonlight creeping in through the windshield, her curls soft and frizzy and wild, and i wanted to trace the constellations the freckles on her cheeks made, just like the stars in the sky.”

jamie shaw will forever hold a place in my heart. also the SPICE. mr shaw🤭🦋literally on my knees for you.

“i was spinning, tipsy, teetering on the edge of being wasted on whiskey. i’d dreamed of kissing jamie so many times, but nothing could compare to how it really felt — his hands on me, so strong, his mouth skilled and passionate.”

b kennedy🥹🥹i fucking adore her. i literally want to be best friends with her. i wanted to hug her so bad throughout this ENTIRE book. every time she’d cry, i literally cried with her. my attachment to these characters is something i’ll cherish forever. i love them so much🥹🫶🏼

“what have you been drinking anyway?”
“whiskey,” he answers easily.
“of course, i should have guessed.”
“what’s that supposed to mean?”
“just makes sense. you’re practically whiskey on legs, anyway. the color of your hair, your eyes, the way you smell — it’s like your spirit drink.”

from then on…b would compare jamie to whiskey and it was painful. i think we tend to forget that love is an addiction too and not always the good kind. that’s what this book truly focuses on and it was truly hard for me to get through because all i wanted to do was close this book and throw it across the room and have a long talk with kandi steiner. but it’s good to be aware of what love can do to someone. you can drown in it. feel numb because of it. want more of it even though it’s hurting you. just like whiskey. just like any alcohol or drug. the comparisons that were made throughout the book between whiskey and jamie absolutely broke me😩this book is too good. too painful.

“i’ll be in denial for at least a little while, what about the plans we made?”

these lyrics from billie eilish’s song “tv” sum up this entire book and my feelings after reading it. i wanted a book that was so raw and filled with so many emotions and this book gave all that and more. i don’t know how to let go. also no one can tell me that b and jamie aren’t real omg. i refuse to believe otherwise. this book consumed me from start to finish. i was literally addicted. just as addicted as b and jamie were to each other…😩i’ve received a lot of love letters from my bf. the most beautiful love letters. my favorite love letters. “a love letter to whiskey” and “love, whiskey” are now added to my favorite love letters. that’s how much i loved this book and these stories. like my love letters…i’ll cherish b’s and jamie’s love letters to each other just as much as i cherish my own🫶🏼

kandi steiner…i’ll be sure to mail you my therapy bill.

[maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

ˋ°•*⁀➷ 1.75 ✰

To everyone who lied to me and told me this book was amazing… sleep with your eyes open.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹“I read romance because it's fun to fall in love. And with romance books, I get to do it over and over. I get to be different types of lovers, I get to feel the heartbreak of love and the successes. Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it's sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all time through books." ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹

This book had been on my TBR for years, and I always thought it would be one of the best books I’d ever read. Everywhere I looked, I saw five-star reviews, which only raised my expectations. Unfortunately, most of them weren’t met. I was hoping for an emotional read—something full of angst, the right kind of frustration, and a heart-wrenching story that would stay with me. Instead, I got nothing. Nada. Not a single ounce of it. Honestly, the book could have been wrapped up in 100 pages if the characters had just talked from the start.

I picked up this book because I wanted to feel something, and oh, it made me feel—but not in a good way. I was just angry and annoyed most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, I was really enjoying it at the beginning but for some reason I just started disliking it the more I read.

It reminded me of the movie Love, Rosie, which happens to be one of my absolute favorites. Sadly, this book didn’t come close to be one of my fav. In fact, I disliked it so much that I’m going to hid it in my room because I don’t even want to see it again.

➸ The best thing about this book was the writing—I genuinely enjoyed it and found it beautiful. At first, I was obsessed with the whiskey references and how they were used to compare it to Jamie, but after a while, it became repetitive since it appeared in every chapter. Still, the writing kept me engaged, which was the only real highlight for me. Except for the smut, the sex scenes were atrocious.

My biggest issue with the book is that the plot feels... nonexistent. The entire story revolves around the years they could have been together but weren’t. I get that this was the book’s premise, but in the process of stretching their decade-long history, important moments felt lost. It seemed like I was constantly missing something. The characters repeated the same mistakes over and over, knowing it wasn’t getting them anywhere—yet they just kept doing it.

This edition included Jamie’s POV, which I chose not to read. Honestly, I’d rather take my eyes out than go through the same story again. While it might have helped me understand Jamie better, I doubt anything could’ve saved this book for me. I did read the last two chapters which were the only thing added to their story, and it was cute but unfortunately I just didn’t want to read anything more about them.

➸ I couldn't connect with or relate to any of the characters because, frankly, I feel like I don’t know them. The book barely gives any insight into who they are beyond surface-level details—I know their jobs, that they like to surf, and that the female lead has a serious addiction to whiskey. But other than that? ✨Nothing.✨ The characters felt like strangers, making it impossible for me to invest in their story. On top of that, they were incredibly immature, which only made it more frustrating to read.

There is zero romance in this book. I kept waiting for at least a few heartfelt or swoon-worthy moments between them, but once again—nothing. I never once saw them as a real couple, so I’m still trying to figure out why this is even considered a love story. There’s no character growth, no emotional depth, no meaningful development—just the same stagnant dynamic playing out over and over again.

➸ I didn’t like B at all—she was straight-up irritating, selfish, and, to be honest, just plain stupid. I get that it’s okay to be a little selfish sometimes, but she took it to an extreme. Every decision she made was thoughtless, impulsive, and completely lacking in self-awareness. It was frustrating to watch her continuously make the worst possible choices without ever learning from them.

Jamie, on the other hand, was just... there. A man. A painfully bland without flavor man. He had no real personality, no charm, and nothing that made me want to root for him. He existed, and that’s about the only notable thing I can say. {I know this could have been solved if I read his POV but I really refuse to read the story again😓 maybe in a future I would give it a try}


➸ Together, these two were a disaster. They were both so selfish, completely indifferent to how their actions affected the people around them. They made choices with zero regard for anyone but themselves, acting as if they were the only ones who mattered. I’m sorry if you loved this book, but to me, this was nothing more than a glorification of cheating.

At one point, I was actually rooting for them… to NEVER end up together. But now that I think about it, I’m glad they did. Because two characters this selfish, cruel, and thoughtless honestly deserve each other.

➸ Also—why do they even like each other?? I feel like I was never given a single solid reason why they were allegedly in love. It all just felt like lust, obsession, or an unhealthy attachment. I never understood why Jamie was so fixated on B, and vice versa. There was no emotional depth, no meaningful connection—just this endless cycle of longing with no real foundation.

Listen, I know love is complicated. That’s clearly the message this book was trying to deliver. But was their love actually complicated, or did they just make it more complicated than it had to be?? In my opinion, they were the ones who ruined their own chances with constant miscommunication. If they had just talked like actual adults, this entire situation could have been resolved in a fraction of the time. The back-and-forth between them was exhausting—FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST OPEN YOUR MOUTH AND TALK.

There was absolutely no reason for them to be separated for so long. They weren’t star-crossed lovers, torn apart by fate or circumstance—they were just two stubborn people making the worst possible choices. It was actually frustrating {in a bad way} to read about their ridiculous decisions, especially B’s, and how she kept trying to justify them as if they were the right ones. At first, I understood why they weren’t together. But as the story dragged on, it became obvious that the only thing keeping them apart was their own refusal to act. At a certain point, they weren’t together simply because they didn’t want to be.

This was supposed to be a "wrong time, right person” kind of story—but honestly? That’s complete bullshit. They had so many opportunities to be together, and they just chose not to take them. It felt like they were forcing this whole narrative that they couldn’t be together when, in reality, they absolutely could have. And what was the end result? Them not being together for years. But don’t try to tell me it was because of fate or life’s circumstances—that’s just not true. They made it complicated on purpose.

╰┈➤ Do I recommend this book? If you’re in the mood for a messy, toxic, and deeply frustrating book, then by all means, go ahead and pick this up. Looking back at my review, I realize I hate this book for the exact reasons a lot of people love it. So if this has been sitting on your TBR for a while, I’d actually encourage you to give it a chance—you might end up loving what I couldn’t stand. This is definitely not for everyone, and who knows? Maybe in a future I would change my mind over this story.🤷🏻‍♀️

‼️ If you HATE the cheating trope, do not read this. Do not even look at it. Seriously, this was the worst. I’ve read a few books with the cheating trope before, and none of them have ever made me feel this physically sick. This book? Completely unbearable.


SPOILERS‼️
SPOILERS‼️
SPOILERS‼️

I don’t see the reason why two grown adults had to cheat on their respective partners SEVERAL TIMES. Like how can you tell me “you can’t be together, dating” but can cheat on your partner. Make it make sense please, honestly they just got on my nerves with all that fucking cheating. UNNECESSARY CHEATING.

Also not Jamie getting annoyed with Angel when she cheated on him while he was kissing B the night before he was supposed to marry Angel🧍🏻‍♀️ how are you going to get mad at her when you were doing the same, yes, it was just a kiss, but they didn’t had sex because B stopped him. If Jamie had his way he would have fully cheated on Angel, so the fact that he was all mad at her was just him being hypocritical.

I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU NEED TO PUT INNOCENT PEOPLE THROUGH THE SHIT THAT ITS INFIDELITY. I’m sorry, I don’t care that this it’s fiction, it’s just crazy how B and Jamie were always in their own heads to do that to their respective partners over and over again.

___________

ᝰ🥃pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.

FINALLY going to read this book🤭 this has been on my tbr for ages, I always put it off because my expectations are too high and I’m scared of not liking it my fear came true😭 I also haven’t read a messy book in a while… it’s timeee.

Hoping this intense and toxic book helps me get out of the slump🤞🏻

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story actually made me sick to my stomach. If I had to define pain and angst with only one book… it would be this one. I just had my heart ripped out and stomped on over and over and over again before being painfully put back together… kind of?? Idk but the whole time I was reading this I felt like I couldn’t draw a complete breath from the emotional whiplash of it all.

So obviously… I LOVED IT!!!! Because like the main characters in this book I am in fact a masochist.

“I think sometimes life is about embracing what hurts, because pain is one of the most vivid emotions we can feel. Pain reminds us that we are alive.”

This was the type of book I had to stay up until 5am to finish because I simply could not exist peacefully without knowing how this goddamn train wreck ended!! I was glued to every single page even though I was ready to chuck this book in an active volcano on multiple occasions.

I’ve never been so infuriated by two fictional characters while simultaneously being so emotionally invested and rooting for them at the same time. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!! I wanted to throttle these two but I love them so much!

THIS BOOK IS TOXIC AS HELL. You’ve been warned. A sign of a phenomenal book to me is when an author can throw all of my least favorite tropes into the story and make me somehow absolutely love them.
I’m talking:
- miscommunication
- Cheating (not between the main couple)
- Characters constantly getting in their own way
- Toxic relationships
- Right person wrong time over and over and over and over again
- Characters who make terrible decisions
AND YOUR HONOR I ATE IT ALL UP AND LEFT ZERO CRUMBS!!

Jamie and B’s love is the type love that words simply cannot do justice. One simply does not exist without the other, soulmates in every sense of the word. Their chemistry is so palatable I could feel it coming off the pages. It is the type of love that makes their pain your pain because of how deeply it affects you. The angst, the LONGING, the pining, the FUCKING TENSION so thick you could cut it with a knife!!!!! It. Was. Everything. To. Me.

I hurt, but I hurt so good. This is the high I am constantly chasing when it comes to romance books. I feel like I need to take a 24 hour nap, or touch some grass, because I feel empty. I’m honestly not sure I’ll ever recover from this one and I can’t say I want to…

The writing was also absolutely beautiful. Poetry.

If you want to experience emotions so deeply you feel like you’re going to throw up… read this.

“It turned out I was water, he was whiskey, and I couldn’t dilute him — not now that I knew he loved me enough to let me. I needed to be stronger, to be ice the next time I melted with him.”

“If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better.”

“Sometimes, even when we know something is bad for us, we do it anyway. Maybe for the thrill, maybe to cure our curiosity, or maybe just to lie to ourselves a little longer.”

[Clace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.55!

“Because the truth is you've always been mine, and I'll always be yours, and that's just the way it is.”

I have only read one book by Kandi Steiner, 'Blind Side' and it was soooo good so obviously I had to read another one of her book and what better book to choose than this?? while this did not get that much of a higher rating from me, you best believe that it was so damn enjoyable! her writing style is so good! it was so captivating and enriching and so damn consuming. I just needed more, I was frustrated with the characters, yes. But I was enjoying the book so muchhh because her writing was so good! it was so fast paced and so easy to good. I read it very fast considering it had long ass chapters but they didn't feel that long because of her writing. I'm also so glad that I read this edition rather than the first one, because the first one, I wouldnt rate that high but I liked reading Jamie's POV and it made me somewhat fond of them. I feel like the saving grace for me was Kandi's writing!! I'm so happy I got an arc for her new book because I want more of her books.

“I should have listened, but if you haven’t learned by now, caution signs didn’t work when it came to Jamie.”

B, Out of all the names, this stupid hoe chose this nickname but uff she frustrated me and Hoda soooo much like AHHHHHHH I was screaming 24/7 at her and JAMIE because what the fuck were they doing, she was such a coward at times and I hated her but I also loved her love for Jamie but I hated what she did and how she was self absorbed and selfish like if I could write an essay on how bad they both were, it still won't be enough to capture my hate. Jamie, Him and B are both for the streets honestly and they both deserve each other. This man said "I’m not sorry I kissed you,” he clarified. "But i’m sorry I did it when you weren’t mine to kiss.” and honestly ok fine I can give you guys one pass but then he went on and fucked her later like?? where did the guilt go? ugh but Jamie's perspective and knowing more about B's bf made me feel a little better. These cheaters had me going in a spiral and I have never been more conflicted everrrr.

“His heart belonged to me, just like mine would always belong to him.”

The romance, look if I take the cheating out, it's such a good romance storyline because B and him are such a good couple, the chemistry and angst between them is off the charts and the love that they have is intense and palpable but how they chose to carry out was not good because ummm she cheats twice on the same guy, he cheats on his fiancee BEFORE she did and then it happens again with B and then the ending happened and IF THE ENDING WAS HAPPENING!! why the fuck did they ruin so many peoples lives like UFFF what were you guys thinking, they were so self absorbed and only thought about themselves and honestly the guilt that they felt after that didnt mean shit because what the fuck do you mean by that lmaoo so even in that way they were perfect for each other lmao. The spice in true Kandi Steiner fashion was amazing. Super hot and well written.

“One day, whether you are 14, 28, or 65, you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die. However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find—is they are not always with whom we spend our lives.

The fifth anniversary edition honestly was so needed cuz it made me bump the rating up and it made me understand the characters to an extent and honestly it did decrease my frustration with them and honestly made the whole process of reading this book very enjoyable! Also the last chapter of the original book almost had me throwing my knife at the character because of the direction it was going lmaoo I felt gaslit.

Overall, it was such a fun story and I would recommend it unless you can't stand cheating AT ALL!!
___
HODA made me do it 😭 she's reading it rn and has mixed feelings and I've gotta read it to now 😔✋🏻

Also I absolutely LOVED Blind side by this author so hopefully I enjoy this as well. Ready for some toxic and messy shit 🤭

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
omg???? pleasantly surprised by this one

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really felt like these characters actions made them feel so much younger than they’re supposed to be.

It all felt so immature.

The back and forth was done so rapidly that I didn’t even have a min to give a single fk about anyone in this story lol 🙄

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ Connect with me on Instagram ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

[cece · Rating 2 out of 5]

besides the last two chapters jamie’s pov could’ve stayed in the drafts #sorry

[Yana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, where do I even start here. I don’t cry over books much at all, and quite frankly I didn’t cry over this one UNTIL that one last sentence, I read that and all of my emotions rushed back like NO TOMORROW. Literally started at the wall for 10 min after finishing the first part because of the emotional whiplash that I just got. With that being said, this book was painful but so so beautifully written, it would be an absolute disservice to even rate it 5 stars because this book was so beyond that.

[kenzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I wasn’t sorry the first time I kissed you, even when you weren’t mine, and I’m not sorry I kissed you the other night, even when I wasn’t yours. Because the truth is you’ve always been mine, and I’ll always be yours , and that’s just the way it is. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

ᯓ ✮˚ ⋅ five stars

Oh, how I love books that make me feel exhausted after reading them. I can’t believe that this is over, that B and Jamie's story is over. I really wanted to savor this book, to just live with B and Jamie a little longer, even when they put me through a lot. But I just couldn't help but read this beautiful book

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I saw him first, but it didn’t matter. Because he saw her. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

"A Love Letter to Whiskey" begins with B meeting Jamie in high school, where there was an instant attraction between them. But it was never easy when it came to B and Jamie. Life, circumstances, and their personal decisions continuously pull them apart.

"A Love Letter to Whiskey'' is a realistic, raw, and stressful book that shows life and people can't always be perfect as they often are in books. This book wasn't easy by any means. It was the furthest thing from that. It was hard, it was angsty, it was stressful, it was insufferable, it was toxic. It was everything wrong, but it was REAL. It captures the essence of how love can be both a source of joy and pain. It shows that love alone is not enough, but also the choices and the timing. It also shows that love isn't just about finding the right person, but also finding them at the right time.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ Sometimes it’s more complicated than just wanting something and making it happen. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ sometimes, even when we know something is bad for us, we do it anyway. Maybe for the thrill, maybe to cure our curiosity, or maybe just to lie to ourselves a little longer. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

i ⋆ the writing

I can't imagine loving this book or connecting to this book as much as I did if it were written in any different writing style. I loved Kandi's haunting and yet beautiful style. I loved her ability to make me feel exactly what she wanted me to feel. I loved how she made me feel the best and the worst emotions. I also loved how I was able to really get the characters' emotions as if they were my own. I was able to feel their hope, their sadness, their happiness, their raw emotions without any trouble or trying. It was just so vivid and beautiful. I also loved how the dialogue didn't feel forced or cringy. It just felt real and normal. Also, the narration was so beautiful, even when it took many pages without any dialogue, it wasn't boring. This is something I've been noticing in many books lately, so I really loved that. So if you haven't guessed it yet, Kandi Steiner's writing style was perfect for me, and this was my first time reading one of her books. I can't wait to read others.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ that’s what life’s about. It’s about paddling out and fighting the waves until you find the perfect one to ride home on. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

ii ⋆ the pace

The pace of this book was really pretty good. It wasn't so fast-paced that it felt like there was something missing. On the contrary, it did cover their teenage years and different phases of their lives, including college, careers, and other relationships, and I didn't feel that there was more to say but I still want more.
Nor was it so slow that it bored me. Also, the shifting timelines really kept me engaged in the story. It just took me two days to finish it and I'm not really the one who finishes books quickly.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ Words don’t get written from a heart that’s never felt. They come from pain, from love, from unspeakable depths ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

iii ⋆ B Kennedy

I found B's character really realistic and relatable. She was such an intelligent, ambitious, and deeply passionate woman. I loved witnessing her journey of success and self-discovery. I loved that she did what she thought she needed to do for her happiness and well-being, even when it wasn't always the best choice. But B's struggles with trust issues and self-doubt create barriers in her relationships, especially with Jamie. Sometimes her emotions lead her to make the wrong choices at the wrong time, which made her be further away from Jamie. But even though she really made me so mad and put me through so much pain that I wouldn't have been through if she just made the right choice, I understand her. Honestly, maybe I'll do the same as her if I were her. I'll actually think of myself first and do whatever it takes to be successful and make all my dreams come true and won't think about any man first. So I couldn't really blame her. Life isn't always about making the right choices; sometimes we need to make the wrong choices. And we see the wrong choices as the right choices. Anyways, I'm happy that by the end she learns to balance her passions and ambitions with her personal life and knows what she truly wants in her life.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ It turned out a Whiskey stain was just as permanent as ink, and I wondered if I would ever truly wash myself clean. Or if I even wanted to. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ It turned out I was water, he was whiskey, and I couldn’t dilute him — not now that I knew he loved me enough to let me. I needed to be stronger, to be ice the next time I melted with him. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

iv ⋆ Jamie Shaw

Jamie, also known as Whiskey, is charismatic and charming person. He's the type of character that you can't help but love from the very start. I loved him so much, and I loved him even more when I read his POV. He was so in love with B from the very start, and he was always there for her. What really made me love him more and more was how he was always pushing B to be successful and be the best version of herself, even when it was driving her away from him. But just like B, Jamie had his own flaws. I found his biggest flaw was his struggle with commitment and timing. Despite his deep feelings for B, he often finds himself in relationships or situations that prevent him from being with the one he truly wanted. Also, just like B, I'm happy that he realized what he wants from life and love and how he overcame his fears and understood the importance of choice and timing.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I hated waiting. But the only thing that kept me going was knowing that you were waiting, too. For me. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

v ⋆ B and Jamie

They were both so stupid, so insufferable, so toxic. They were so wrong, and yet they were always so right. B and Jamie are two people whose connection was so deep from the first time they saw each other. But they met at a point in their lives when both were not ready or able to fully commit to each other. That led them and me through so many missed opportunities, pain, and heartbreak. B and Jamie are two people who either made the wrong choices or found themselves at the wrong time, which would lead them away from each other.
I can't describe how much I love these two. I loved how they were perfect for each other in everything. I loved their friendship so much. I loved their love for the same music and their love for surfing. It always made me so happy when they were together, driving and listening to music together, surfing together. Their interactions were always filled with passion and tension. Their chemistry was so strong from the first time they saw each other. But even with all that, they never got the timing on their side. They kept making stupid decisions and getting away from each other, and every time they got close to finally being together, there would always be something that made them be away from each other again. But despite everything, they still loved each other fiercely. They broke my heart and put it back together numerous times. They made me feel so much. They destroyed me. I cried for them so much. I was literally sitting at 4 am crying and praying that they would be together. I love them with everything in my being. I know they will be forever engraved in my heart.
B and Jamie aren't perfect by any means.
They always miscommunicated and broke each other's hearts. They were so toxic for each other. Their story isn't about a perfect fairy tale ending, but about understanding and accepting each other's flaws and timing.

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ So many times we’d been burned, and yet every time we wanted more. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ Maybe we were bad for each other, but maybe we were good, too. As much as I hurt Jamie, as much as he hurt me, we were there for each other always — without hesitation, without expectation. We were each other’s drug as much as we were each others medicine. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ He kissed me like he was losing me , like that kiss was his last chance to keep me, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it wasn't. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

"A Love Letter to Whiskey" has basically all the tropes that I usually hate, like cheating, misunderstanding, and miscommunication. I don't know why I didn't mind it here. Maybe because it was done so well, or that I loved this book so much that I didn't care.

Honestly, when I got Jamie's pov, at first I was so excited that I would read his pov, and it delivered, to be honest. It was so cute. I loved how I got to read how he loved her so fiercely for so long. But at some point, I got kind of bored, because I was reading the same things but from a different perspective. So it was kind of boring, except the last two chapters. But don't get me wrong, it was really good to read his pov. But this was actually going to make me lower my rating, but I really couldn't give it any less than five stars.

So before you get to this book, just know that you're not going to read an easy, little, sweet love book. No, you're going to go through a lot. You're going to literally cry your eyes out. These characters are going to get you out of your mind. You're going to hate them so much. So please know this before you read it.

But for the ones who, like me, don't mind going through all of this as long as it makes them feel so much, please read this book. And yes, it's going to put you through so much pain, but it's the best type of pain, I promise

vi ⋆ some other quotes

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ One day, whether you are 14, 28, or 65, you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die. However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find— is they are not always with whom we spend our lives. —Beau Taplin ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ You’re practically whiskey on legs, anyway. The color of your hair , your eyes, the way you smell — it’s like your spirit drink.”
“I remind you of whiskey?”
“In every sense of the word,” ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I read romance because it’s fun to fall in love. And with romance books, I get to do it over and over. I get to be different types of lovers, I get to feel the heartbreak of love and the successes. Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all time through books. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ There’s more courage in admitting you love someone and fighting for them than letting them go because it hurts less. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ even when it seems like everything has finally clicked into place, the biggest player in the game of life is timing — and you either have that player on your team, or you don’t. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ My attraction to B didn’t strike me like lightning. It didn’t hit suddenly and all at once. It bled into my skin, my muscles, my bones, my soul like an assassin in the dead of night. It was slow, and calculated, powerful and deceiving. And once it had its hands on me, I was forever in its grip. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I hated her for what she’d done to me, for how she’d left me, for the time she’d denied us. But I also loved her so fiercely that it didn’t matter what she did to me — I’d still want her. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ I didn’t have any other choice but to love her through the darkest time of her life. ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ sometimes life is about embracing what hurts, because pain is one of the most vivid emotions we can feel. Pain reminds us that we are alive ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶୭ৎ︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶

ִ ۫  ੭ ⸼ 🍸 ⍴rᥱ rᥱᥲძ  ⋆  15 ≀  ȷᥙᥒᥱ ≀ 24   ִֶָ ࣪ ›

I think I'll just keep staring new books, until anything works with me. but I actually think I'm gonna love this one, like I literally cried in the first chapter 😍

[anh · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 stars

If you like this book, don't read this review.

Also, there will be minor SPOILERS.

When I predicted I would either love or hate this book, I genuinely thought that even if I hated it, it would at least scrape together 3 stars. So trust me when I say I did not expect to loathe this book with the burning intensity of a thousand suns, but here we are.

The ONLY positive thing I can say is that these characters are so monumentally stupid and the book is so catastrophically bad that I could not stop reading. The whole time I kept thinking no way it could possibly get worse… but it did. Every. Single. Time. I spent the entire 600 pages in a state of disbelief that it kept finding new ways to infuriate me.

The writing itself was absolutely insufferable and emotionless in a way that made everything feel hollow and performative rather than moving. I have actually read quite a few of Kandi Steiner's books before this one, and they have been contemporary romance books that are nothing like this disaster. So far, I have not found those books anywhere near as bad as this one, though I should mention that those books I read are ones she wrote after this one, so perhaps her writing improved from this catastrophic failure.

This might be because I have been stuck in my heartless bitch era for four months now but for a book supposedly meant to be raw and heartbreaking, I found nothing sad about any of this. The only thing that could possibly make me cry is if I stabbed my eyes out, which is exactly what I wanted to do after freeing myself from this shitshow.

Most people would probably hate this book because they cannot handle miscommunication or toxicity in fiction. But I am not one of those people. I have read and loved plenty of miscommunication-heavy books. My favourite book of all time is Normal People, and I liked the MPU—both are about flawed, unlikeable characters constantly miscommunicating in that right person, wrong time way, and I live for it when it is done well.

The difference is that in those books, no matter how toxic or hair-rippingly stupid the characters were, I somehow understood them. I loved each character as an individual AND together because I saw character growth and actual changes happening throughout the story. You root for them because you can follow the logic or beautiful lack thereof behind their actions. The emotional payoff made sense because the journey, however painful, had purpose and direction.

This book fumbled that concept so spectacularly. Nothing about these characters or their choices made any sense, and there was zero emotional payoff for the torture I endured. Our main characters are B and Jamie, and I have never been so infuriated reading about two absolute dumbasses stumbling through life. They make the same mistakes over and over again without learning a single thing. After 600 pages, I still have no idea what these two see in each other. What is their connection supposed to be? What is their chemistry built on? I genuinely do not even know because all they do is surf together, and every once in a while, they see each other and just start fucking. It is just pure lust with no emotional depth whatsoever.

A big thing about what they love sharing with each other is that they both supposedly love classical music. Except their idea of classical music is apparently just listening to The Piano Guys, yet the book acts like they're classical music nerds bonding over their sophisticated taste. Not to sound elitist, but I could not take these two clowns seriously from that moment on.

Now onto the whiskey. I know it's a metaphor that’s important to the overall theme of the book, but did it have to appear in every single chapter??? The whole thing was an insult to my intelligence. I am not that stupid, I don't need to be reminded that they both love whiskey or they taste like whiskey or whatever tf they say every five pages. The book beats you over the head with this symbolism so relentlessly that it loses all meaning.

The entire book follows the same exhausting pattern: they cheat on their respective partners together, then don't see each other for months or years. Then they come back and do it all over again. THAT'S IT. Yes, I know it's supposed to be toxic, but it's not compelling toxicity when they're constantly cheating without a shred of self-awareness or growth. They feel guilty, yet they do it again and again with zero shame—it's absolutely pathetic to watch unfold while the book pretends this is an amazing love story.

When Jamie's pov was introduced at 300 pages in, I started skimming the rest. I could not subject myself to another full perspective of this insufferable bullshit. His perspective added absolutely nothing of value—just more of the same circular stupidity from a different angle, and made me hate both characters even more.

The only reason these two deserve each other is that they are utterly selfish, heartless, and morally bankrupt people. They never evolve throughout this entire book. They are stuck in the same pathetic cycle, while we're supposed to find this profound or romantic or tragic. Really, it's just watching two people refuse to be better while everyone around them suffers the consequences of their selfishness.

No one can convince me this book doesn't glamourise infidelity because, in my opinion, it absolutely does. These are two people who repeatedly choose to betray others, and the book never makes them face real consequences for it. That's not a love story, that's just two assholes getting exactly what they want while hurting everyone else along the way. Fuck this book, I'm so serious.

[Ri ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I was water, he was whiskey, and I couldn’t dilute him — not now that I knew he loved me enough to let me. I needed to be stronger, to be ice the next time I melted with him."

Well that was one hell of a ride. I knew the moment I started reading this book that I'll never be same again and it would broke me in worst possible way and it did but it also put it back together with the ending and Jamie's pov. I never expected to like it this much because it was toxic like really really toxic but I loved and I understand the choices they both made and some were reasonable while others weren't. There are books that reach deep inside and demand your attention until you reached the ending of the book. It was this book for me. I loved it beyond words can explain. The story was raw, realistic, toxic and emotional. And I felt everything B went through in this book and it broke my heart to see how she tried and tried but still couldn't find a way to be with Jamie and he did same too. It was always timing and B's stubbornness that didn't let them be together for years even if they were so right for each other.

She was like 'Midnight Rain' to Jamie's Sunshine and they fought 'The Great War' to find their happiness.

The story was interesting and I was fully invested in their story even though I savoured it while reading it. It's not an easy read and it's angsty, intense, toxic and devastating. But it has now become my favourite books of all the time even if it had me sobbing. It has angst, tension, electrifying chemistry and heartbreaks. This also has miscommunication and lots of misunderstanding but all is made good in the end. They both were so infuriating and were just dancing around each other or playing mind games or hurting each other. God, they both were just so damn stupid. I was swooning one minute because Jamie was just so fine and B and Jamie's friendship was so sweet and pure and the next minute I was sobbing because of how they wanted to be together but just couldn't.

The pace was fast and it covered their teenage years to the time till they turned 30. So it was an easy to read and there's time jump but it didn't felt like anything was missing at all. The writing was perfect and exquisite and it made me feel so many emotions. It was beautiful and the way Kandi made me feel their heartbreaks, their hope and their love for each other was everything. She wrote this heart wrenching book and wrecked all my emotions with B and Jamie's story.

The first part is told from B's pov and the ending left me with nothing but with a broken heart and yet I was happy for their ending. And the second part is from Jamie's pov and I loved reading his pov because I realised that it's always has been B for him and no one else. This book has cheating trope but they didn't cheated on each other but on their partners and all the while I hate this trope but Kandi wrote it in such a way that all I ever wanted was them to be together no matter what way they could be.

But If you hate cheating tropes and the one where it happens so many time and they both become toxic then may be you won't like this book. But if you love the book filled with angst, sweet and yet heart wrenching story about two people who are so right for each other but can't be together just because the timing and all then this book is for you.

B and Jamie's friendship and relationship was everything and they were so right for each other and yet so wrong. Their friendship was endearing and it started because of their love for music and surfing and they were each other's comfort person. Their attraction to each other was palpable like damn it was love mixed with lust. Whether they were sad or happy they just wanted to share that thing first with each other. They fit so well together in each other's life but they were just in denial for years. They blamed it on timing but timing has always been right for them they just ignored it. And I get why B needed time because she was dealing with grief and she couldn't be together with Jamie at that point the way he wanted her to be but that man always loved her and waited for her for years and when it was her time to wait for him she didn't. And that part literally shattered my heart because he deserved that happiness and he wanted it with her.

Their story felt wrong yet right at the same time and I couldn't stop loving them and they both deserve the happiness. The things they did to be together were wrong and the way they hurted other people along the way was wrong. It's always them and other people. But I'm glad they finally found their happiness together the way they always wanted and it took them years of heartbreaks and pain to finally get it. And I'm so so happy for them 😭💗💗 I love them so much even if they are idiots. For me they are ✨️SOULMATES✨️ and always have been from the very first moment Jamie saw her.

"Jamie was never officially mine, but I had always been his - ever since the first taste."


"You thought I would wait, and I thought you changed your mind.” Jamie moved to me then, “I could never change my mind about you."


"I wasn’t sorry the first time I kissed you, even when you weren’t mine, and I’m not sorry I kissed you the other night, even when I wasn’t yours. Because the truth is you’ve always been mine, and I’ll always be yours, and that’s just the way it is."

B Kennedy
She is strong minded, reserved, careful and has trust issues because of her family. She wanted success but in the process of getting everything she wanted she was losing Jamie. She was so stubborn that made me so frustrated but I kinda understand her reasons and she was right sometimes. Her character was real and flawed and she was not perfect and her emotions got the worst of her sometimes because she felt too much. But I felt connected to her character so much and I felt her pain, her hopes, and her love. I liked her character development throughout the book and how she came out of everything so strong and happy. But I hate that she wasted so many years when they could be together from the very start.

"I couldn't think of one scenario where he would lose me forever, because a piece of my soul was tied to that boy and I had already lost so much of myself at that age, I refused to let go of what little I still held onto."

Jamie Shaw
He's whiskey and addicted just like B said and I loved his character from the very start. He is easy going, down to earth and smooth as hell. I swear I did get drunk off of him because he's just so so damn fine. The moment I read his side of story I loved him even more because he always loved her and he gave her space and time even though he's own heart was breaking. He deserves the happiness for me they both do. He was always so good to B and he put his heart on the line like no other guy would and just for her and he didn't deserve the way B treated him. He was such a perfect guy but may be B was just blind for years. I love him so much and I'm so happy that he finally got the life he always wanted.

“If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better. I needed her. And nothing else would do.”

The first epilogue yes this book has kinda two epilogues. The first one was cruel and happy and sad and I get why the story was written that way. But the second epilogue was everything and seeing them happy and in love was all I wanted. I was on cloud nine when I saw the glimpse of their future. It was so adorable and perfect the way it was always supposed to be.

“But wait, isn’t this what you’ve always wanted?” B smiled at me, waiting for me to tell her she was right. And maybe, had this been eighteen-year-old me, I would have. But I knew the truth now.
“No,” I breathed, and B frowned, I whispered, “The only thing I’ve always wanted, B, is you."

I could read this book all over again and at this point I don't care about all the heartbreak it would bring me. Because B and Jamie's story was worth it. It was all worth it in the end and I love both of them with all of my heart.


—Favourite Quotes—

➸ "What have you been drinking, anyway?”
“Whiskey,” he answered easily,
“Of course. I should have guessed.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
I shrugged, “Just makes sense. You’re practically whiskey on legs, anyway. The color of your hair, your eyes, the way you smell — it’s like your spirit drink."

➸ "One day, whether you are 14, 28, or 65, you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die. However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find—is they are not always with whom we spend our lives."

➸ "I think sometimes life is about embracing what hurts, because pain is one of the most vivid emotions we can feel. Pain reminds us that we are alive, and I’ll always appreciate that stinging reminder."

➸ "Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all time through books."

➸ "There's more courage in admitting you love someone and fighting for them than letting them go because it hurts less."

➸ "I always loved that, the first sight of him, the first hit. It was a little jarring, like a slight burn, but the aftertaste was smooth, welcoming, like an old friend calling me home."

➸ "It took too long for me to realize I’d dropped that beautiful bottle of whiskey. Too long to realize I’d broken it. By the time I figured it out, too long turned to too late, and I remembered all-too-well the other way Whiskey can burn."

➸ "Because that’s what life’s about. It’s about paddling out and fighting the waves until you find the perfect one to ride home on."


ALSO YOU MIGHT NEED SOME WHISKEY WHILE READING THIS.

[Karyn⁠ ۶۟ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 stars ⊹ 🥃 🏄 🐈 💌 👩🏽‍🦱 🤵🏽 👠 👰🏼

❝ Goddamnit, woman.
I’ve always chosen you.
There has never been another choice for me.
You. You, and only you. That’s the choice. ❞

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ 🥃 ⚠︎ ❤️‍🔥⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

˗ˏˋ THIS is the high I chase whenever I open a new book ˎˊ˗
It is everything reading should be: the feelings, the emotions, the BURN.

After this? I’m not settling for cute giggles when I’ve already tasted TOE-CURLING, INTENSE HEART-BURN AND PASSION ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ 💥 ࣪
My heart was pounding so hard I genuinely thought I was having a panic attack.

You need to be prepared to throw away ALL your morals when you read this. I physically assaulted this book like smashing it, clutching it, gasping at it like it personally wronged me.

This is the ONE book I’ll be thinking about when I’m 85, sitting alone in a rocking chair. This is the ONE book I’m rereading for my 30th birthday.

જ⁀➴ 🥃 ⚠︎ ❤️‍🔥 ـــــــــﮩ٨ـ

What to expect : ᕙ( ᗒᗣᗕ )ᕗ

- ”Love, Rosie” energy ( ˶˘ ³˘)♡

- ANGRY. LOVE. CONFESSIONS. ⋆.˚🦋༘⋆

(Cue the Little Women Timothee confession tone)

❝ You think what happened between us wasn’t real? It was… ❞ (dramatic pause here)
જ⁀➴ And it still is ⸝⸝.ᐟ⋆

- 10+ YEARS OF YEARNING. WTF? 🤯

- “Fuck no, you’re not marrying him.” 😨

- He’s at the door. She says “wait.”
He turns around, STRIDES back to her, and kisses her.
YES. THIS. TROPE. GUYS. I almost blacked out.

- You will be hurt (in the best way).

- Wrong timing. Again and again.

❝ So if I can’t have you at your worst, and I can’t have you at your best, then when do I get you? ❞

- Beautiful writing.

- Questioning every moral you had

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🥃🏄🐈❤️‍🔥── .✦

I really, really, GENUINELY, recommend this book.
I’m pressuring you to read it (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡
Please. Give this book a chance.
Put it on your TBR and read it in 2026.

I swear you won’t regret it. It’s emotionally devastating in the most addictive way, and it will leave you in a book hangover, realizing how few romances can make you burn like this ( ꈍ◡ꈍ)

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ 🥃 ⚠︎ ❤️‍🔥⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

❝ I’m sorry that up until now,
I saw you as something I should quit
instead of something I should fight for. ❞

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my faves is being trad published 🥺

thank you Hambright PR for the e-arc + alc ahead of the release!!

I can’t wait to reread & see the new bonus content 🥰

original review below:

—————


“Some books reach deep inside you and demand you pay attention. They grab hold of you and don't let you go. Not until you've consumed every last drop.”

∞ stars 🌟

This was one of my favourite reads of 2023 and I always find myself coming back to this book and flicking through the pages. I've recommended this book to pretty much everyone I know.

જ⁀➴ Tropes

» Friends to lovers
» Second chance romance
» High angst x toxic characters
» Emotional
» POC representation

This was probably the most anxiety inducing book I've ever read. I could feel my heart beating in my chest from the stress. At no point did I have any idea how this story would end. The constant twists and turns, will they/won't they and time jumps kept me glued to my kindle until it was finished. AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!

The angst and emotion was done so perfectly, I found myself rooting for these complex characters despite the toxic situations they kept finding themselves in. It's a special kind of witchcraft to be able to throw at me so many things I would normally hate, but make me love it because of how incredibly well written the story and characters are. This story is laced with crack, it's so addictive. I can only describe this like a car accident that is happening right in front of you but you can't tear your eyes away. It's best to go into this completely blind and buckle up for the ride!

I'm a Jamie & B apologist and I will take no criticism for them. I loved watching their love evolve throughout their high school days to their adult life. This will make you sit back and think about all of the 'what if's' and remind you of young love. The use of whiskey as a metaphor for their love was brilliant - it perfectly encapsulated what a lot of people have experienced. The writing was poetic and balanced an otherwise chaotic story.

I was insatiable after my first read of B's perspective and I immediately dove into the anniversary edition to read the story from Jaime’s POV. It added so much more context due to the various time jumps and directions the book takes. The extended epilogue was so much more satisfying, I'm forever grateful Kandi gave us this. I did not want their story to end!!

I've never read a book like this before and 2 years later I'm still chasing the feeling this book gave me.

જ⁀➴ Quotes:

“Because the truth is you've always been mine, and I'll always be yours, and that's just the way it is.”

“My attraction to B didn’t strike me like lightning. It didn’t hit suddenly and all at once. It bled into my skin, my muscles, my bones, my soul like an assassin in the dead of night. It was slow, and calculated, powerful and deceiving. And once it had its hands on me, I was forever in its grip.”

“There’s more courage in admitting you love someone and fighting for them than letting them go because it hurts less.”

“If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better.”

"I always loved that, the first sight of him, the first hit. It was a little jarring, like a slight burn, but the aftertaste was smooth, welcoming, like an old friend calling me home."

“I think sometimes life is about embracing what hurts, because pain is one of the most vivid emotions we can feel. Pain reminds us that we are alive, and I'll always appreciate that stinging reminder.”

“I read romance because it’s fun to fall in love. And with romance books, I get to do it over and over. I get to be different types of lovers, I get to feel the heartbreak of love and the successes. Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all time through books.”

[abire · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Words don’t get written from a heart that’s never felt. They come from pain, from love, from unspeakable depths — and they were my only release.”

oh boy... where do I start?

SPOILERS AHEAD.

This was, hands down, one of THE most frustrating and exhausting books I've read this year if not ever. The main character is DEFINITELY on of THE most annoying, and she just keeps getting worse and worse.
I think, my first mistake, was going into this with high hopes, I've heard it was so good I wouldn't be able to put it down, that the angst was phenomenal and I wouldn't regret it, and as a self-proclaimed angst-whore there wasn't much to be said to convince me.... This book thaught me to be careful who I trust next time.

The oh-so well promised angst? GARBAGE.
It was so fucking forced. 3 out of the 4 reasons used for them to not be together were just so stupid and could've sooooo easily been resolved I just kept rolling my eyes every time the h went "woo me i can't be with him"
1st reason : He chose her best friend first and they weren't really in love so... um have y'all ever heard of break up?
2nd reason : She was dating his roommate and it was pretty fresh so again... break up??? but nah, our main characters would rather cheat (and i WISH it was a one-off)
3rd reason : Her rapist (yes you read that right) father died and she just couldn't be with the H..... PLEASE explain to me where the correlation is???? ALSO, WHO THE FUCK CARES IF A RAPIST DIES?????? (but i'll tackle this point later)
4th reason : he was engaged and actually loved his fiancée, so fair! but hey, they still cheated lol

Not to mention how many times they ghosted each other for YEARS... so much for being so in love they couldn't stay away from each other.
Also, the fucking hypocrisy and the number of times they cheated (which is literally every time one of them was dating someome else) is just mind-boggling to me.
This book can basically be summed up in one sentence : You single? Aw chucks, we can't be together because [insert dumb reason]. What? You're with someone else? Please don't say so I love you so much, can we at least cheat?
... I wish my joke above was actually just that... but it's me using a joke (mind you still as an accurate description) to cope with the time I wasted reading this train wreck.

Now onto the OTHER reason this book made me wanna break my kindle in half (I formally apologize to my kindle because he didn't deserve to have this downloaded into it to begin with) : The rapist father.
first of all : WHY?????? add this plot to the story? it's so fucked up are you kidding me?
second : IN WHAT FUCKED UP WORLD would you make a rape victim stay in touch with her RAPIST and raise their daughter together, have her see him and eat with him during every holiday??? And don't even tell me the mc deserved to know her father, that mf rapist didn't deserve SHIT, he FORCED himself into her mother, he's nobody's father, he's a RAPIST. The only title that should ever be associated to him. I was so mad when the mc found out and still kept in contact with him and only cut all ties only to feel guilty when he died. FUCK THAT AND FUCK HIM.

So yeah, overall, fuck this book. I want the hours I spent reading it back what the FUCK.

[charlotte ✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ★

This book made me feel every emotion I am capable of feeling and left me absolutely drained. It might've been the most intense story I’ve ever read, and I loved every. single. second. of. it.

Honestly, I knew I was in trouble after reading the foreword, where Kandie Steiner hits us with this little piece of information: I think that’s when you know you’ve created something magical–when the pain outweighs the pleasure. She was definitely right. The pain did, in fact, outweigh the pleasure, but in the best way possible.

A love letter to Whiskey is the story of B Kennedy and Jamie Shaw, starting with their first time meeting and following over a decade of heartbreak and the kind of love that nothing and no one can compete with.

“I saw him first, but it didn’t matter. Because he saw her.”

・❥・ B

B’s perspective of their love story is the first one we get to see. I enjoyed getting to know her character so much. I loved how driven she was, how she never backed down from a challenge and knew she could accomplish anything she wanted if she worked hard enough for it. But the he thing is, she's been sitting on an insane amount of trauma from the very beginning, that she never dealt with. And it showed in some of the decisions she made.

She makes many mistakes throughout this book, makes many hard choices and we see her learn to live with every single one of them. Some of her actions are excusable, some are not, but that wasn't really the point for me. What made me so invested was that I understood why she made the decisions she did. That doesn't mean I agreed with them or would’ve made the same ones, but I got the broken thought process that caused them.

I loved seeing the growth in her character. Loved moment her entire perspective shifted, when she realized that it was the broken way in which she perceived the choices before her, that drove her to making the ones she would later on regret. My heart broke for her more times than I count, and I can't help but love her.

・❥・ Jamie

Now, Mr. Shaw, the man that you are. I repeat the man that you are. The house would be clean, dinner served, kids popping out of me like bullets, all while wearing heels. And all that wouldn't matter because he would still choose B over me in a heartbeat.

The love Jamie has for B is something I couldn't explain to you without quoting half the book for you to see for yourself. My man is a slave for her, and that's exactly what we like to see. I also appreciated how vulnerable he could be with her, how much of a difference her words and even just her presence affected how he felt.

Plus, we love a man with ambition and a plan for his future.

I can't say he didn't make mistakes. He made choices just as wrong as B, and had to live with the same regrets. He was both selfish and selfless, depending on the timing. But again, can’t help but love him.

・❥・ B & Jamie

They were soulmates in every sense of the word, that's for sure. I loved seeing how much comfort they found in each other, how above everything, they were each other's best friends. And maybe that's what made it even harder for them to let go of each other, cause they were losing more than just a partner.

“I knew he loved her — I knew he cared for her. But he was a slave to the way he felt about me. I knew, because I was in the same shackles.”

・❥・I want to be clear that I'm not excusing any of their actions. But I think it's hard to judge them too harshly, when they're not making excuses for themselves either. They fall into a pattern of hurting each other and other people, but they are the ones who end up the most broken in the end. Seeing them suffer in a way that they did, took away any urge I might've had to judge them.

・❥・ The writing

The writing was honestly stunning. I flew through those 600 pages without even noticing. I love when the writing is so magical it makes you feel what you're reading instead of just trying to understand it, and this did just that.

I’m also so glad I picked up the anniversary edition with the extra content. Getting to read the entire story again from Jamie’s perspective, after B’s, was both healing and heartbreaking at the same time, but also necessary, I think. Also, his part gave us the ending we deserved after this torture chamber of a book.

・❥・ All my expectations for this one were met and exceeded. The angst was on a level i have never experienced before in my life, and that's coming from someone whose all-time favourite series is Magnolia Parks. I was expecting a lot of pain, and somehow got twenty times more. This book made me literally sick to my stomach more than once.

・❥・ That being said, I loved this more than I’m willing to admit. If it sounds like something you’d enjoy (cause it for sure isn't for everyone) go for it, I swear it's worth it. Be prepared to be mad, annoyed, sick, and broken, though.

Big thank you to all my besties who held my hand through this, cause I would’ve died reading this otherwise.

𝓜𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓺𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼:

“Jamie Shaw had spotted a wound not even I knew I had, and it was like telling him about it gave me permission to bleed.”

“I read romance because it’s fun to fall in love. And with romance books, I get to do it over and over. I get to be different types of lovers, I get to feel the heartbreak of love and the successes. Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest loves of all time through books.”

“As soon as I spotted him, my heart jumped, and the hole I’d felt growing since the last time I’d seen him filled, warming my blood.”

“He kissed me like he was losing me, like that kiss was his last chance to keep me, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it wasn’t.”

“Inhaling deep, I sighed into him, and I think we both felt it—like a piece of our soul had been found again. Like it was slowly melding itself back into place.”

“If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better. I needed her. And nothing else would do.”


pre-read

i heard toxic, messy, drama, angst and lots of pain so, obviously, i came running

please, please, please be good 🤞🏻

[nina ★ ⸝⸝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𓏲 ๋࣭  ࣪ 🍸📃 ˖ book review

: a love letter to whiskey by kandi steiner
. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [finished june 22nd 24] ࿐ྂ
★★★★ 4 stars ꒱꒱

“this is my love letter to you… everything i have is in these pages. now the pen is in your hand. come find me, whiskey. i’ll be waiting.“

i hadn't intended to read this book at first, i just didn't have it on my radar. i heard too much about it, which made me push it to the back of my mind at first. all of that actually happened, but a lot more happened besides that.

a book full of angst, grief, longing and tension. it was toxic, but yet often tore my heart into many small pieces. kandi steiner knew how to use her words to convey those feelings, and she did it well.

“i didn’t realize it then, the comfort just that alone brought me. that seat beside me? it belonged to her — literally and metaphorically. and when she was there, everything felt okay.

꒰ ⌗ ps: parts of jamie's pov could have just stayed in the drafts, because some of the story was just re-told. i was about to skip some pages. but i'm still glad to have read this edition. ꒱

[Daisy · Rating 1 out of 5]

miss girl should've stayed in therapy

[Gry ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4★'s

Yeah, yup.. this did in fact hurt. RTC
_____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝

Alright, so Marianna influenced me. I'm going in mostly blind. All I know is there's tons of pain and suffering... So you already know I'm in.😌

[Hoda · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Because the truth is you’ve always been mine, and I’ll always be yours, and that’s just the way it is.”

Well this was fun?🧍‍♀️😭 but the kind of fun that makes you want so frustrated and angry that u want to slap everyone in the book!! I’ve never been so conflicted reading a book. I didn’t know what to think or how to feel i even dragged clace with me to read it so he can help but ugh it was Soso frustrating! But as frustrating and toxic this was i just couldn’t stop reading. It was so fast paced and the writing was actually so pretty good i loved the way she kept comparing him to whiskey and how addicting it was it it was so good!

“There’s more courage in admitting you love someone and fighting for them than letting them go because it hurts less.”

B not gonna like reading B pov was soo annoying because ugh her decisions were so selfish and stupid that it got on my nerves a-lot!! I wanted to scream at her to stop being selfish and look what her decisions has done to her but she was so stubborn and ugh she kept making it worse and worse and worse ✋🏻 if i were to rate her pov it would be 2.5 stars maximum because she just ugh was so annoying.
jamie jamie wasn’t perfect either but his pov was way better in my opinion! I felt sorry for him because ugh he loved her so much and yes i know she loved him to but he always put her there and i don’t know she kept pushing him away to the point it got so annoying and reading his pov made me realize how that broke and hurt him!! And while it broke B too but it was her choice for things to be this way but it wasn’t jamie choice for things to be like that! He put himself out there alot for her to shut him down and push him a away and go get him only when she needs him!!!!

“She was the source of my insanity, but I still craved her any time she was near.”

I’m not gonna lie and say I didn’t enjoy the angst snd the longing between them! But ugh i hated how many people got hurt in the process! It was so unfair for these people and ugh the whole thing with B getting married at the end pissed me off so much because way!!! He explained to you why he didn’t call and it’s so freaking obvious that you love him but u still ignored all of that and got married??? and she didn’t even tell the guy that she was gonna marry what happened before the weeding. No she lied to him which is a no for me ✋🏻At least angel was braver than her and did it 🌚 but at the end they both deserve eachother honestly and as much as their journey was frustrating i did enjoy it 🤸🏻‍♀️ and I can’t wait to read more of this author books 🤭

“I realized what just seeing her did to me.It made me burn, it made me fucking wild with jealousy, and somehow, it made me feel like everything would be okay, too.”

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m speechless. Legit one of the BEST books I’ve ever read in my entire life

[czarina ⋆·˚ ༘ * ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️ stars. i genuinely don’t know what to do with myself now. give me more. review to come bc i don’t think i can do it justice with my brain as mush

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

EVERY. SINGLE. STAR!!! ♾️⭐️

I genuinely don’t think I can even write a review that would convey what this book did to me and how this book made me feel.

I went through the 5 stages of grief and still have not recovered. This was probably one of the heaviest, frustrating and toxic romances I have ever read and I absolutely ate up every second of it. Jamie and B gave me SO much anxiety and ugh I was just rooting for them so hard.

This book sat on my tbr for so long and I am so glad that I finally picked it up (even though I need therapy now). Please please read this!

𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈! <3

"Jamie was whiskey, that much I was sure of. I couldn’t deny the way he burned, the way his taste lingered. Still, no one warned me that once a whiskey girl, always a whiskey girl.”

"Whiskey aged for two years is different from whiskey aged for ten, and no matter what year you decide to throw the towel in and pour up a glass, you can’t go wrong. Whiskey at a ripe age, young and full of character, is buzz-worthy. But whiskey aged, even just a little bit? Pure bliss."

"It turned out I was water, he was whiskey, and I couldn’t dilute him"

“If I was whiskey, then she was the barrel that held me, that helped me age, that made me better."

“I read romance because it’s fun to fall in love. And with romance books, I get to do it over and over. I get to be different types of lovers. I get to feel the heartbreak and the high of love. Love is the most powerful and real emotion we feel, and I think it’s sort of magical that we can experience some of the greatest romances of all time through books.”

[manas (suffering) · Rating 1 out of 5]

➳ oh ☆

“i saw him first, but it didn’t matter. because he saw her.”

this is not a love story. this is a waste of a decade, a loss of identity and a dooming collapse of character. this is not a fairytale love—it's not even a real one. a love letter to whiskey is a very popular novel that i see recommended all the time and i knew this was my chance, my chance to be obsessed with this book, with these characters, and this world. i wanted a raw and deep story about two people who are so engrained in each other's lives that they can't let go—of the past, of their problems, their addiction, and sacrifice. i was let down, completely. right person wrong time is a trope—a genre that is often met with intoxicating feelings and emotions, bringing out the realest parts of our lives. i was sadly left with a luke warm, “what if.” what if things were different, if they were better and more. just so much more.

this is a negative review!!! (feel free to stop reading if you love this—it's never that deep).

1. telling vs. showing
one of the main predicaments of this novel is the shallowness. from chapter one, we are presented with this perfect story, this perfect man, and his perfect looks—his desirability and importance. yet, we don't revel in this, we don't grow with him, with her. every statement is just that. a statement. throughout this novel, our main character B—insists her bond and relationship with jamie is earth shattering, obsessive, possessive, and unbreakable, making the readers excited for what's to come. that excitement fizzles out quickly due to the lack of actions, the lack of interactions. everything that happened to them happened TO them, very shallow and insubstantial. their dynamic is built on flimsy waves, here for a fun time, not for a long one. their love is not earned, it's informed. i don't need to love their love. in this case, i don't even understand it. sadly, neither do they.

2. relationship progression
at the core of this story—these characters—there is a shrine, a pedestal that each character puts the other one on and never takes them off. there is not shared experience, no maturity, growth, or trust in their relationship. there never has been. there never needed to be. they move around in a dance, a choregraphed dance where the other person knows where to pick up from and circle around in an orbit. they are not in love with each other; they don't even know each other—at all. they love the distance, the illusion, and the possibility of a connection—that “what if.” their love is not a tragedy due to the lost time, the miscommunication, and the downs. it's a tragedy because it was never real.

3. lack of development
for a book that spans across a decade, ten years of their lives, ten years of their ups and downs, we get nothing. B and jamie don't evolve, they don't grow, or learn—there was no room to improve, no opportunity for reformation. before anyone points out that's the point of the novel; i disagree. books can be messy, toxic, even stupid—but they are supposed to make us think, want, feel. B and jamie bored me to tears, tears i will never get back in this lifetime. if you are going to bring a messy, toxic, borderline abusive couple—both to others and to each other—you need to go the extra mile and write that. don't hype me up for white gold diamond and deliver crystals from your grandma's basement.

this book ultimately irritated me a lot, leaving me bored, annoyed. i wanted more drama, more toxicity, more twists, or reveals, just something more. i can't even place my hand on what that more is, because this book does not allow us to move past the shallow surface, the surface level waves. we are not exploring new themes, new problems or solutions—aspects that ground the characters and their world. this novel chose to be fluffy and facile over being real, over delivering a story, over giving the readers honesty and truth. i am very happy people found realness in these pages, in these characters, and these themes, but it felt hollow—very desolate, superficial. the only good aspect of this is these two buffoons left the rest of the characters alone. they deserve each other. may they rot in hell. just ass. cover to cover.

again, i have to give credit where credit is due, where credit is needed—where credit is deserved. my favorite girlie, vee! i love you, twin. while this was book was not on our side, not a win for us—you made it better, you always make it better.

[Julias.books · Rating 2 out of 5]

IF YOU’RE BOTH GONNA CHEAT ON YOUR PARTNERS FOR EACHOTHER JUST DATE ALREADY😭

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

"Timing is a hell of a thing. In the end, that's what it all comes down to. The potency of an attraction or the purity of a connection mean very little if you're on separate journeys. You and I were a perfect fit, we were, there was just too much distance between us to see it."
~Beau Taplin

I was ecstatic to see Kandi was coming out with a Fifth Anniversary Edition of 'A Love Letter to Whiskey'. When I think of an angsty book, this is on of the first that comes to mind. I love B and Jamie so much and I was so excited to get more of their story, and especially Jamie's pov. Some books don't hold up as re-reads, but this one absolutely did. I loved it just as much as the first time. And getting Jamie's side was everything! This is a must read for all ALLTW lovers.

And my review for A Love Letter to Whiskey, because I love it so much!

One day, whether you are 14, 28 or 65,

you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire in you that cannot die.

However, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find-

is they are not always with whom we spend our lives.

-Beau Tapilin

The first page of this book gutted me. A Love Letter to Whiskey is not an easy read. It’s the opposite of easy. It’s stressful. It will make you cry, make you feel and have your stomach in knots. It’s easily the most angst-filled book I’ve read this year. I was not expecting this from a Kandi Steiner book. The other two books I read by here were not like this LOL. I have a love/hate relationship with excessive angst and I usually lean more towards the hate side. But this book… This story… As hard as it was to read, I fell in love. Kandi’s words are beyond gorgeous. This book is real, raw and you will devour it.

I saw him first, but it didn’t matter. Because he saw her.

By the first chapter of this book, I was fully invested in the story and in the main character, B. B meets Jamie her junior year of high school. It doesn’t start out as love, but friendship. Jamie and B become the best of friends, but so much more is between them. This story spans a decade. A decade of love, loss, friendship, heartache and emotion.

I was spinning, tipsy, teetering on the edge of being wasted on Whiskey. I’d dreamed of kissing Jamie so many times, but nothing could compare to how it really felt.

As the years pass, mistakes are made. There is miscommunication. There is a lot of stress and misunderstandings. But there is also a lot of love. Desire. I could feel how much these two loved each other, wanted each other, and needed each other. I was addicted to their story. I couldn’t stop reading. No matter how difficult it got, I couldn’t put the book down. Oh those rare books that are impossible to stop reading- they are such a treasure. I must have bit off all my nails while reading. I felt like I needed a drink. This love story was complicated. It was devastating. It was intense. And these two had the absolute worst timing ever.

Jamie is a character I loved from the start. He’s Whiskey. He’s addicting, smooth, and you will get drunk off of him. His nickname suits him. B is one of those characters that was tough. She was likable, then she was frustrating, then I felt for her… lord did I feel for her. Then I went back to being frustrated with her. My emotions were all over the place. One thing she was- REAL. She was a real person. She was not perfect, but by the end, I felt like she had a lot of growth.



I feel like this review has been a lot of rambling and I’m not giving this story the type of review it deserves. It’s because my emotions are all over the place. This story is bittersweet. It’s heart-wrenching and soul shattering. And it absolutely blew me away. It’s a book that you’ll love to hate and hate to love. I feel like no matter how you feel after reading, YOU WILL FEEL. This is a story that will elicit strong feelings from everyone who reads it.

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book like this, and even longer since I’ve read one that effected me this strongly. Kandi Steiner’s writing is exquisite. This is one of the most beautifully written stories I have ever read. It will make you feel. Not all of those feelings will be pretty, but you will feel. There were so many moments while reading, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. This one really got under my skin and made my heart ache. By the end, I was happy I stuck it out. This is a story of heartache, love and friendship. It’s an epic read and one that I couldn’t give anything less than 5 stars to. Word to the wise, bring some Whiskey along when reading. You’ll need it.

[witchy_book_babe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dnf at 27%. This book was not good. I will not hesitate to admit this. This is pure glorification of cheating without any regard to the innocent parties. I am appalled that this book gets the recognition it receives. I don’t believe in normalizing betrayal, cheating on a devoted and honest partner, or normalizing lying to those that give their love to you. This book deserves -5 stars.

[Kandi Steiner]

𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲... 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫.⁣
⁣
Five years ago, I published A Love Letter to Whiskey. I just knew something was different with this one. It was real, raw, emotional, and absolutely excruciating to write.⁣
⁣
𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 – 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞.⁣
⁣
Now, five years later, I’m thrilled to bring you Jamie’s side of the story. In a novella that was supposed to be short and sweet and ended up being a whopping fifty thousand words, Jamie tells his side of the story…⁣
⁣
And what happened after that torturous last page.⁣
⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬:⁣⁣
🥃 A forward from the author⁣⁣
🥃 A Love Letter to Whiskey⁣⁣
🥃 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝗪𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐲 (𝐚 𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐄𝗪 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰! 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞. 𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭!)⁣⁣
🥃 Bonus Content including letters from the author, fun facts and behind the scenes, as well as a note from the audiobook narrator⁣⁣
🥃 Brand new special edition cover⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I saw him first.⁣⁣
But it didn’t matter.⁣⁣
Because he saw her.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
He was my best friend, and I was his. ⁣⁣
We couldn't be together, but we couldn't stand to be apart. ⁣⁣
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And if you're not truly lovers... but you're so much more than friends... what exactly are you?⁣⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝!
https://amzn.to/3AXl4wC
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Paperback and hardcover are publishing now. Keep an eye on Amazon (and my posts here) so you can add this beautiful thicccc boy to your shelf when it's live!⁣
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🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃⁣


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“A Love Letter to Whiskey is 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬.” — 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 Penelope Ward⁣
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"Ten stars for this brilliantly written love story. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐰. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐞𝐝. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧." — 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘒𝘪𝘮 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘳⁣⁣
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"𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝. 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬!" — 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘭𝘴𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯-𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴⁣⁣
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"𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔." — 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘊. 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘰𝘯 #𝟷 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳⁣⁣
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"𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐜𝐡, 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐲, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝." — 𝘉𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘪 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘵⁣⁣
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"Wildly intoxicating, I could not put it down. 𝐀𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬." — 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘦, 𝘈𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴⁣⁣

[Laura Jane ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 STARS!!
Omg. I literally read this whole book feeling like I had a 10kg weight on my chest, I forgot how to breathe, I had a constant lump in my throat, I felt constantly sick, my anxiety was at all time high and I cried my eyes out. OF COURSE IT’S 6 STARS 😭

This is toxic, it’s angsty, it’s frustrating as hell… but omg it’s everything. B & Jamie’s love is everywhere, it’s all consuming and I never want to be free of it.

Page 7, “I saw him first, but it didn’t matter. Because he saw her.”
That’s when I knew this book would ruin me. That’s when I realised B and Jamie were about to own a part of me.
This book seems to be loved or hated but you know what? I’ll go down defending it. I’ll use my last breath to stand by every heartbreaking and dumb decisions these guys made because oh it was worth it, it was so so worth it.
This is the type of book where you shouldn’t be okay with things but FUCK, you are there, you in so deep and you ship every little moment they get together because you cannot deny soul mates.
I genuinely haven’t slept, I cannot stop thinking about them. It’s so painful, like so painful I can’t think straight but I just loved it so much!! The type of story where you never know peace, your heart is being shattered but you can’t stop, you have to keep going.
Jamie’s POV at the end of this just cemented the years of pain and miscommunication and bad timing. Yes you have to be hurt all over again but without it I would have gone insane.

Oh my god, I cannot stop crying. READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!

I have SO many highlights but here just just a few that wont give away anything about how their story ends.

It turned out I was water, he was whiskey, and I couldn’t dilute him.

My attraction to B didn’t strike me like lightning. It didn’t hit suddenly and all at once. It bled into my skin, my muscles, my bones, my soul like an assassin in the dead of night.

Jamie was whiskey, that much I was sure of. I couldn’t deny the way he burned, the way his taste lingered. Still, no one warned me that once a whiskey girl, always a whiskey girl. But I was figuring it out.

She was the source of my insanity, but u still craved her any time she was near.

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️
- This book was messyyyyy!! Might be the messiest book I’ve ever picked up. The back and forth was WILD and infuriating! Like a car crash where you can’t look away. This would be a great romance to read with a book club.
- I haven’t read any other books by this author, but I loved how this story has such beautiful writing without being too wordy.
- Also THE ENDING?! Wiiiild!!! So glad that I was able to read the anniversary edition because I would have been SHOOK if I hadn’t been able to read the additional pages.

[Ericka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Speechless.