What do you think?
Rate this book
When You Know
Many would call being able to see the future a ‘gift,’ but twenty-six-year-old Hallie Lark calls it a useless, bewildering bother.
She does in her own head, at least, because no one else knows about her ability. Not only is she an introvert and part of a cold family, but her glimpses of the future are as impossible to prove as they are to prevent. They’re a bother, indeed, always leaving her feeling ineffectual—she doesn’t know why they plague her, and she wishes they wouldn’t.
Until a truly staggering one sparks up out of nowhere, straight through the blue-gray dullness she’s been stuck in for so long.
Somewhere in another state, Keaton Iorio is living his own version of life with his son, ordinary and happy. He’s certain he has all that he needs, from a wonderful family and a good best friend to a reliable job and solid health. Although finally meeting his match would be cool, being a single dad is fine by him; he’s blessed as it is, and he knows it.
What he doesn’t know is that change was set in motion on the night of a certain young woman’s most beautiful and most confusing vision to date—a young woman who’s on the brink of discovering how great a gift her clairvoyance truly is.
The collision of these two worlds will, with a brilliant crash, alter what Hallie and Keaton know of love, of themselves, of family, of possibility…and of a not-so-little thing called fate.
**This story contains mature content.**
She does in her own head, at least, because no one else knows about her ability. Not only is she an introvert and part of a cold family, but her glimpses of the future are as impossible to prove as they are to prevent. They’re a bother, indeed, always leaving her feeling ineffectual—she doesn’t know why they plague her, and she wishes they wouldn’t.
Until a truly staggering one sparks up out of nowhere, straight through the blue-gray dullness she’s been stuck in for so long.
Somewhere in another state, Keaton Iorio is living his own version of life with his son, ordinary and happy. He’s certain he has all that he needs, from a wonderful family and a good best friend to a reliable job and solid health. Although finally meeting his match would be cool, being a single dad is fine by him; he’s blessed as it is, and he knows it.
What he doesn’t know is that change was set in motion on the night of a certain young woman’s most beautiful and most confusing vision to date—a young woman who’s on the brink of discovering how great a gift her clairvoyance truly is.
The collision of these two worlds will, with a brilliant crash, alter what Hallie and Keaton know of love, of themselves, of family, of possibility…and of a not-so-little thing called fate.
**This story contains mature content.**
535 pages, Paperback
Published February 13, 2020
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
K.L. Cottrell
12 books44 followersK. L. Cottrell is a writer of romance. She loves turning daydreams, real-life experiences, and unexpected moments of inspiration into something she can use to bring both healing and entertainment to herself and others. She loves reading, has an addiction to music (and to her husband), is a child at heart, and could eat Tex-Mex every day of her life.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 15, 2020
Hallie and Keaton's story is absolutely beautiful!
I fell in love with Hallie's character from page one and felt her every struggle and triumph right along with her. Same with Keaton, his son, his family, and honestly just every character in this story. Every thought and emotion flies off the page and penetrates your heart.
The paranormal side of the story was done so simply and honestly with Hallie that it was easy to forget that this was, in fact, a fictitious trait. Not to mention the romantic elements and daily struggles of these ordinary people thrown into both normal and not-quite-normal situations that had me swiping pages, almost frantically, without any sense of time, to find out what would happen next.
K. L. Cottrell is a master of her craft and honestly one of my favorite romance authors. I always look forward to escaping into her worlds of heartfelt tragedies and happily-ever-afters. When You Know was no exception; in fact it might be my favorite work of hers yet. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to escape reality to live amongst flawed but lovable characters, a plot that feels familiar and traditional but still manages to leave you guessing, emotional connections that may make you ugly-cry, and an ending that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.
I fell in love with Hallie's character from page one and felt her every struggle and triumph right along with her. Same with Keaton, his son, his family, and honestly just every character in this story. Every thought and emotion flies off the page and penetrates your heart.
The paranormal side of the story was done so simply and honestly with Hallie that it was easy to forget that this was, in fact, a fictitious trait. Not to mention the romantic elements and daily struggles of these ordinary people thrown into both normal and not-quite-normal situations that had me swiping pages, almost frantically, without any sense of time, to find out what would happen next.
K. L. Cottrell is a master of her craft and honestly one of my favorite romance authors. I always look forward to escaping into her worlds of heartfelt tragedies and happily-ever-afters. When You Know was no exception; in fact it might be my favorite work of hers yet. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to escape reality to live amongst flawed but lovable characters, a plot that feels familiar and traditional but still manages to leave you guessing, emotional connections that may make you ugly-cry, and an ending that will leave you grinning from ear to ear.
February 15, 2020
“Some things grab you and don’t let go.”
I’m at a loss for words. Friends, if you haven’t read K.L. Cottrell’s work, you are missing out BIG TIME. I will, without a doubt, read anything she writes. She is simply THAT talented. She writes THAT well, what a gift. Her work is all about the journey, how her characters get to where they need to be. Nothing is rushed or forced, it’s written the way you might imagine a musician composes a song, slowly yet beautifully. Each phrase has a purpose and every chapter adds a little more to the storyline. Her characters are well-crafted and smartly designed. They are each perfectly flawed, as all humans are, but that’s what makes them so relatable and interesting. Cottrell captures your mind and ties you to her characters, you can’t stop reading, you can’t let go of the innate desire to know what happens next, you don’t come up for air until the story ends. It’s the best kind of addiction. Cottrell has mastered romance. Romance is about more than stolen kisses and heated stares. It’s about what it means to fall in love, it’s about the journey of the fall. Our author hits the nail on the head every single time.
“Sometimes you don’t realize you need something in your life until it shows up.”
When You Know is my first taste of paranormal romance since Twilight. And if you know me at all, you know I was and still am a die hard Twilight fan. Team Edward for life, peeps. I say that now because this book is nothing like what I expected when I was first told it fell into the “paranormal” genre. There aren’t any witches or vampires. It’s so much richer and deeper than that. This book is about a girl who can see the future. Now, not necessarily in the way you think, so don’t get ahead of yourself. Our leading lady, Hallie, has visions in the form of dreams and they are very few and far between. But, when she does have them, there is always a purpose. Hallie comes from an abusive household in Ohio, she lives on her own, but still deals with residual mistreatment from her family. She’s been having visions her entire life, but has never been able to tell anyone about them. Then, one night she has a vision about a man and his son. It’s a happy vision, she doesn’t quite understand why she had it…until she is gifted with another vision of the father’s untimely death. She uses clues from her vision to figure out where this man and son live (in Texas, heck yeah!) and runs to them.
I won’t say much about what happens once Hallie gets to Texas, but I will say this. Do you believe in fate? In destiny? What about love at first sight? Well this novel deals with all of that and more. Hallie’s vision leads her to where she’s meant to be. Where she finds her true home and the people who she truly considers family. Her character arc is probably the most extensive I’ve ever read. She grows from having zero confidence and second guessing everything about herself to finding the strength to stick up for herself, the man she loves, and the young boy she adores. Guys, it’s inspiring. She is inspiring. THIS ENTIRE NOVEL IS INSPIRING.
“His presence feels like sunshine. It has been intense and blinding, yes, but it has also been warm and invigorating.”
Okay side note: I need to talk about a moment between Keaton, our leading man, and his son Mason. At one point in the novel, Mason is so smitten with Hallie that he begs his dad to buy her gifts to show his love. Keaton isn’t opposed…seeing as he’s also completely taken with her. But, as they start adding up all the things Mason wants to get for her, they realize it’s going to be a pretty expensive trip…and Mason says “I wish we really had a million dollars.” If they had a million dollars they could buy Hallie the world, right? All I could think about was that Bare Naked Ladies song, If I Had A Million Dollars. My father and I used to sing that song to each other allllll the time when I was younger. I would dance around the living room, belting it at the top of my lungs. I love that song so much, so this part of our novel was so special to me because it reminded me of that time in my life. Just needed to add that tidbit in my review 🙂
If you’re looking for something to read that might change your life, then as surely as ‘Texas’ is spelled with a T, this is the book for you *wink wink*. When readers talk about books that changed the way they view the world, it’s always the stories that leave you thinking, leave you with questions and thoughts. “Tattoo memories” as Keaton would say. Well this book was a tattoo memory for me. Keep in mind, Cottrell writes books on the longer side, so don’t expect to breeze through this one in a day or two. This is a slow burn, a delicious, gradual build up. This is a novel that will leave you thoughtful long after you’ve finished the last page. Take a deep breath and dive in, my friends. You will not regret it.
“Never let me go, I beg him silently. Please. Never.”
I’m at a loss for words. Friends, if you haven’t read K.L. Cottrell’s work, you are missing out BIG TIME. I will, without a doubt, read anything she writes. She is simply THAT talented. She writes THAT well, what a gift. Her work is all about the journey, how her characters get to where they need to be. Nothing is rushed or forced, it’s written the way you might imagine a musician composes a song, slowly yet beautifully. Each phrase has a purpose and every chapter adds a little more to the storyline. Her characters are well-crafted and smartly designed. They are each perfectly flawed, as all humans are, but that’s what makes them so relatable and interesting. Cottrell captures your mind and ties you to her characters, you can’t stop reading, you can’t let go of the innate desire to know what happens next, you don’t come up for air until the story ends. It’s the best kind of addiction. Cottrell has mastered romance. Romance is about more than stolen kisses and heated stares. It’s about what it means to fall in love, it’s about the journey of the fall. Our author hits the nail on the head every single time.
“Sometimes you don’t realize you need something in your life until it shows up.”
When You Know is my first taste of paranormal romance since Twilight. And if you know me at all, you know I was and still am a die hard Twilight fan. Team Edward for life, peeps. I say that now because this book is nothing like what I expected when I was first told it fell into the “paranormal” genre. There aren’t any witches or vampires. It’s so much richer and deeper than that. This book is about a girl who can see the future. Now, not necessarily in the way you think, so don’t get ahead of yourself. Our leading lady, Hallie, has visions in the form of dreams and they are very few and far between. But, when she does have them, there is always a purpose. Hallie comes from an abusive household in Ohio, she lives on her own, but still deals with residual mistreatment from her family. She’s been having visions her entire life, but has never been able to tell anyone about them. Then, one night she has a vision about a man and his son. It’s a happy vision, she doesn’t quite understand why she had it…until she is gifted with another vision of the father’s untimely death. She uses clues from her vision to figure out where this man and son live (in Texas, heck yeah!) and runs to them.
I won’t say much about what happens once Hallie gets to Texas, but I will say this. Do you believe in fate? In destiny? What about love at first sight? Well this novel deals with all of that and more. Hallie’s vision leads her to where she’s meant to be. Where she finds her true home and the people who she truly considers family. Her character arc is probably the most extensive I’ve ever read. She grows from having zero confidence and second guessing everything about herself to finding the strength to stick up for herself, the man she loves, and the young boy she adores. Guys, it’s inspiring. She is inspiring. THIS ENTIRE NOVEL IS INSPIRING.
“His presence feels like sunshine. It has been intense and blinding, yes, but it has also been warm and invigorating.”
Okay side note: I need to talk about a moment between Keaton, our leading man, and his son Mason. At one point in the novel, Mason is so smitten with Hallie that he begs his dad to buy her gifts to show his love. Keaton isn’t opposed…seeing as he’s also completely taken with her. But, as they start adding up all the things Mason wants to get for her, they realize it’s going to be a pretty expensive trip…and Mason says “I wish we really had a million dollars.” If they had a million dollars they could buy Hallie the world, right? All I could think about was that Bare Naked Ladies song, If I Had A Million Dollars. My father and I used to sing that song to each other allllll the time when I was younger. I would dance around the living room, belting it at the top of my lungs. I love that song so much, so this part of our novel was so special to me because it reminded me of that time in my life. Just needed to add that tidbit in my review 🙂
If you’re looking for something to read that might change your life, then as surely as ‘Texas’ is spelled with a T, this is the book for you *wink wink*. When readers talk about books that changed the way they view the world, it’s always the stories that leave you thinking, leave you with questions and thoughts. “Tattoo memories” as Keaton would say. Well this book was a tattoo memory for me. Keep in mind, Cottrell writes books on the longer side, so don’t expect to breeze through this one in a day or two. This is a slow burn, a delicious, gradual build up. This is a novel that will leave you thoughtful long after you’ve finished the last page. Take a deep breath and dive in, my friends. You will not regret it.
“Never let me go, I beg him silently. Please. Never.”
August 5, 2020
This is an interesting read! I was drawn to this story because of the supernatural twist. It really is a "not-quite-normal romance". Hallie has the ability to dream the future, and she's pulled into Keaton's life when she has a dream about him that she's determined to prevent.
What I liked about the two characters early on was how their lives were opposite reflections of each other. The one has a supportive family, great coworkers, happy life. The other has a cruel family, unappreciative coworkers, unhappy life. It was a nice setup to begin their story. Then they meet, and Hallie and Keaton had such natural chemistry together!
These two were so sweet to read together. My favorite bit was when they were painting something together, and just having such a playful time with it. You could really feel how much they cared and how comfortable they were with each other.
Is this romance worth a read? As sure as 'Texas' being spelled with a T!
What I liked about the two characters early on was how their lives were opposite reflections of each other. The one has a supportive family, great coworkers, happy life. The other has a cruel family, unappreciative coworkers, unhappy life. It was a nice setup to begin their story. Then they meet, and Hallie and Keaton had such natural chemistry together!
These two were so sweet to read together. My favorite bit was when they were painting something together, and just having such a playful time with it. You could really feel how much they cared and how comfortable they were with each other.
Is this romance worth a read? As sure as 'Texas' being spelled with a T!
June 26, 2021
I don’t think of romance as my genera, but this was a Father’s Day special so I decided to give it a shot. I’m SO glad I did. I loved this book.
Full disclosure, my daughter was 7-years-old when I married her and her mother. I didn’t realize hows fortunate I was. I wound up with two incredible women in my life. The female protagonist in this book winds up in a similar situation, and it stirred my heart strings.
In addition to the romance, there is a thriller element. Author Cottrell quickly sets up a “sword of Damocles” that keeps suspense high throughout the story.
I absolutely fell in love with the style of switching narrative from female to male leads. It was so fun to see the same scene from both perspectives.
Guess I’m a fan of “Romance” now. Or at least this author’s version of it. I know she’s written other books, but Please, Please. Pleas … More stories about Hallie and Keaton!
Full disclosure, my daughter was 7-years-old when I married her and her mother. I didn’t realize hows fortunate I was. I wound up with two incredible women in my life. The female protagonist in this book winds up in a similar situation, and it stirred my heart strings.
In addition to the romance, there is a thriller element. Author Cottrell quickly sets up a “sword of Damocles” that keeps suspense high throughout the story.
I absolutely fell in love with the style of switching narrative from female to male leads. It was so fun to see the same scene from both perspectives.
Guess I’m a fan of “Romance” now. Or at least this author’s version of it. I know she’s written other books, but Please, Please. Pleas … More stories about Hallie and Keaton!
March 19, 2024
Gah - I loved this book.
Hallie was living a life that didn't really make her happy. On top of everything, she gets visions of the future that aren't helpful. She has a vision of a father (Keaton) passing away from a fire and his son (Mason) being alone and she can't leave it alone. She decides to track down this spot and see if she can't save them. Not only is this so spur-of-the-moment... but she ends up meeting Keaton the very night she gets to Texas. What follows is an incredibly sweet, slow burn romance where these two characters just have unmistakable chemistry. Hallie didn't intend to have a relationship with Keaton but she does and it's as sweet as you think it would be. The ending was very gratifying for me. I needed it to be good and that's exactly what I got. I loved it!
Hallie was living a life that didn't really make her happy. On top of everything, she gets visions of the future that aren't helpful. She has a vision of a father (Keaton) passing away from a fire and his son (Mason) being alone and she can't leave it alone. She decides to track down this spot and see if she can't save them. Not only is this so spur-of-the-moment... but she ends up meeting Keaton the very night she gets to Texas. What follows is an incredibly sweet, slow burn romance where these two characters just have unmistakable chemistry. Hallie didn't intend to have a relationship with Keaton but she does and it's as sweet as you think it would be. The ending was very gratifying for me. I needed it to be good and that's exactly what I got. I loved it!
May 14, 2020
This book was absolutely fantastic. I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down
Read
January 25, 2022Utterly charming
This author always writes with such spirit. The characters are fascinating and relatable in so many ways. I recommend this book for everyone.
This author always writes with such spirit. The characters are fascinating and relatable in so many ways. I recommend this book for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews