Be With Me

by Angel Rayne

I'm not her knight in shining armor. I'm her downfall. She just doesn't know it yet. When I'm not in school, I make extra cash working as a model. My favorite photographer to work with? Ailee Walsh. And not just because she's so sexy she should be in the shots with me. Although that reason is definitely up there. With her dark hair and white skin, Ailee reminds me of a princess. The woman makes my head swim and my stomach tangle up in ropes. Not to mention what she does to other parts of me... The last time I saw her, she was married. So I did my job and left. However, I never stopped thinking about her. Not once. Now, a year later, the ring on her finger is gone. There's nothing stopping me from going after what I want. Not even the destructive road my life is on... Being with Ailee would be like a fairytale. Too bad I'm no fu*king prince.

Genres: Contemporary, Dark Romance, Romance

286 pages, Paperback

Published August 18, 2022

About the author

Hi! My name is Angel Rayne and I write dark, delicious romance with antiheroes who would burn down the world to save the woman they love. I never understood why the villains never win the girl, and so I decided to write them their own love stories where they do.
Here are a few other odds and ends about me…
-Music inspires my stories and I make playlists for every book.
-I am not a fast writer. My stories take time to write. They need to brew in my head. To have book releases close together I have to write ahead. But I would much rather take the time the stories need to be the best they can be than try to rush them out. Trust me on this one.
-I love the rain, and I'm happiest when I'm sitting in a coffee shop with my laptop as it storms outside.
-I prefer to go watch movies alone, with one of those fancy coffees hidden in my purse. (Yes, I really do this.)
-My husband calls me his "little bird" because anything that sparkles catches my eye.
-I will never have enough soft blankets. Ever.
-I love ALL THE DRAMA…at least in books.
-I will forever re-watch The Phantom of the Opera with the hope that by some miracle, this time she will choose correctly.

Thank you for reading my stories, and I always love to hear from you! You can reach me at: angel@angelrayne.com

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had high expectations after reading His Darkness but this one kind of fell short for me. This is my first book reading about a relationship between a older woman and younger man and it was quite interesting. Besides some spicy moments and Tyler figuring out what was wrong with him, I felt like I had to drag myself to finish it.

[Josmely · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS
ARC REVIEW

HOLY SHIT!!!?!? This book took a turn not a bad just a ver unexpected turn and holy crap. I thought i was just gonna read a steamy age gap book which I but I don't expect one big part of the book to be Tylers mental health.

Instant attraction between them but nothing could happen bc at the time she married. So the book starts a year (i think probably more) after they first meet.
Regular stuff happens she doesn't wanna date him cause she thinks she's tool old for him (she's 50 and he is 34) she gives dating him a chance and now it's when it takes a turn. From the beginning of the book we can see that there's something going on with Tyler mentally.

I don't wanna get too much into it cause I don't wanna spoil but I loved this book. It makes u wanna get to the end just for u can know what happened already. But I would have liked seeing tylers journey in dealing with his mental health and seeing how his relationship with ailee progresses more besides that it was a really good read.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!!!!! This one is going to blow your mind. All I'll say is, this book is going to deliver a whole lot more than you might expect!! Trust me. Go in blind and enjoy the ride. This is my frank, freely posted review.

[Ayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to even begin!

First off, I will say this book took a drastic turn I didn’t see coming, but it was pleasant, just very unexpected.

We first meet Tyler and Ailee when Tyler’s booked in to do a photo shoot for work. We learn quickly that he’s completely enamored of her, despite their obvious age gap, paths in life, etc.

At first I expected a steamy age gap affair, but then the story dives deep into Tyler’s mental state which is very apparent from the start that “something” isn’t quite right.

We get a peak into mental health and how it can effect someone’s life and those around it. I did enjoy how Angel handled discussing the topic, how she created genuine and relatable dialogue between the two characters and how they handled the given situation. It felt real.

However, I wish she dove deeper into Tyler’s “recovery” or “discovery” of himself. It felt a bit rushed at the end, almost to get it out of the way so the characters could reconcile. I guess once everything was out in the open, I wanted to see how the characters worked through it.

Otherwise it was a good read, unexpected, but good.

I did receive this book as an ARC, but the review is entirely of my own thoughts.

[Envy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scars have layers, some are physical, some are physiological, some are so deeply buried you don’t even remember that they exist, until you are forced to confront them to simply live.
Ailee and Tyler’s story is beautiful and heartbreak (tissues recommended).
Ailee is a recently divorced, it hurt her but not as much as the marriage had, being belittled by someone who promised to love, honour and cherish you, it can make you doubt yourself as a person and then second guess each step you take in life.
Tyler fell head over heels in love with Ailee but never acted on as she was married, now no longer tethered to a loveless marriage he pursues her, chipping away at her defences, but red flags fly full mast when Tyler’s demeanour changes, he runs off, disappears with no contact for days or weeks, he doesn’t recognise Ailee when they pass in the street. Tyler only wants to be with Ailee, but he can’t until he understands himself and what is happening, Ailee has a big decision to make, she runs scared but she still loves Tyler and only makes herself miserable, fate has a way of bringing true love together.
HFN or HEA (They deserve HEA).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bailey (Myveinsbleedink) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Angel Rayne and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I loved it. It was a shorter read and I was unable to put it down. Ailee and Tyler’s whirlwind romance sucks you in from page one. At first i was convinced that we were just dealing with a reverse age gap and that this was going to be the major hurdle throughout the book….well boy was I wrong! This book is HEAVY emotionally. I definitely felt it in my heart and needed a few Kleenexes as I read through. This book deals with a serious mental illness. It’s not one I believe I’ve ever read about in a novel and I think the author wrote it beautifully. I’m not going to jump into what it was as it’s a big part of the book and although I think most will pick up on it’s still a bit of a spoiler. Ailee deals with the situation in such a real way, her honesty and fear is exactly how I feel it would play out in real life. Tyler is such a great character, I loved him right away. He’s charismatic, passionate, and emotional. His story broke my heart but I was left with hope at the end and that’s what we all want. Hope.
I can’t wait to read more of Ms. Raynes work she’s got a easy writing style that calls to the reader right away!
Thanks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Christine Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not the usual female mid life romance. Ailee Walsh is a normal person like you or me, with a job she loves and friendships, romance is not something she's given much thought to.
Tyler is a part time model. Young and good looking, he's fantasised about Ailee and decides that today at the shot he will make his move.

The story is told from both perspectives. The most interesting part is Tyler, who's having blackouts which he puts down to alcohol and stress. When he fails to call Ailee as promised she's upset and he's too embarrassed to explain, but things aren't that simple.

The romance centres around Tyler's blackouts and how he copes with his illness while trying to romance Ailee.
Such a great read because I've never read a plot like this before, well written and with such sensitivity to his illness.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this world that Angel created and the characters that filled it. I was drawn in from the beginning and had to keep reading so I could find out what was wrong with Tyler. I think I need to start reading lighter reads because in the middle of the book I was convinced his sister was doing something to him to make him blackout. Thank goodness she wasn't and she finally told Tyler about his childhood so he could get the right help. The passion and love he had for Ailee was so fantastic. I love that she decides to stay and be with him even with everything he's going through. I wish Angel had snuck in some stuff with his parents at the end of the book or at least in the epilogue. He is their son they would have been there with him when he was going through everything.

**received an ARC from the author for leaving my honest review**

[R Rais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok this is different kind of dark.
Now I understand why the author claimed " Dark Contemporary Romance "
This kinda darkness is actually scarier than the usual dark romance I have ever read.

At first glance on the blurb, it's smegsi older woman meet younger hot guy.
This is one of my fav troope. Older adult 50 year old woman with a 35 year old man.
But dangit the moment he already knew she's the one, i know the plot is just gonna be so bad.

I mean, for her to feel all the red flags from him.
For him to get black out with memory lost that get worst, it can last for days.

I can't flip the page faster to know what the heck is going on!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dark story was different than I imagined, I often read the reversed older man/younger woman and this time it was an older woman with a younger man. It took some getting used to but the story is really dark and dark. I'm not exactly sure what to think about romance and I this was really a story that you quickly read because you wanted to know what was going on, nothing is as it seems. I could elaborate on the rest of the story , but this is a story that you really have to read for yourself and figure out how it all works .


I received an Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mulan Book Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I though this was such an emotional charged book! Ailee is such a total sweetheart and I get why she is so hesitant to start a relationship with someone so much younger. Tyler is such a cutie and is obviously madly in love with Ailee. I so feel for him as I can't even start to imagine how he is feeling. This book really made my heart hurt, yet I couldn't stop reading as I really wanted to find out what happens in the end.

I received a free advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my fair and honest review.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyler is a model when he is not at school, and from the moment her meets photographer, Ailee, he is enamoured. There is an instant connection between these two, but it was not their time as they were going is different directions. This is a well written story with an in-depth storyline, which is dark, raw, gritty, thought provoking, and with emotions, romance, and love, which leads to a compelling page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber Keehn · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I did not realize the reverse age gap in this was quite as profound- not my normal cup of tea but I love the author. This was a darker read, but on a pretty emotional level. Ailee was finding her way again after getting out of a loveless marriage whole Tyler has his own struggles after a lifetime in foster care. Their love story is not on a linear path but had many twists and turns. If you like a book that requires tissues to get through, this is for you!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BookwormNoelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a habit of reading books without reading the blurb or reviews. While this book was very well written, but not my cup of tea. If you’re into slow burns with more drama than spice and a reverse age gap, this is for you. Ailee is an almost 50 photographer who falls for Tyler, a young romance book cover model. Now that the ring on her finger is gone, will they pursue each other?
Ps thank you for the epilogue. I needed some closure on this one!
”That moment he’d dropped his guard, though. That look. It still made my knees weak.”

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sitting to read this book had me hoping that Tyler and Ailee would be able to work through what was happening. Always unsure what was the cause of what was happening.
This book had lots of story and details into what could really happen to someone. Details and struggles faced.
I would say it was a good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[BusyM3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will take you on a emotional roller coaster ride. It is a dark story with a twist that you don't see coming. The story will have you interested all the way through to see what will happen next In this story we meet Tyler and Ailee, she is older and a photographer and he is the model is shooting for a romance cover. This is their journey with Tyler's mental health and them coming together as one.

I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J. Ockenhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't forsee where this story was going to go. Tyler is more than a pretty face, as you see what's underneath you can't help but love that man more.

I like that it was more than an older woman/younger man. Get to see the depths and vulnerability of these two. Good read with characters that I'll definitely miss. I received an ARC for an honest and voluntarily review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read as it’s totally different than the usual type of read. Tyler was younger than Ailee and had his own share of personal demons. I thought that the characters were well developed, but it just seemed like it was a little rushed. I received an ARC and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michelle N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely not what I expected it to be in the beginning. That's not a bad thing though, I loved it! It took a few turns that I didn't see coming, but I was thoroughly entertained - couldn't put it down!

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a story and completely different from what i thought it was going to be.
Started off as a older woman and younger man romance but its so much more than that.
I fell in love with Ailee and Tyler were written.
Remember age is just a number

[Cassie Ashford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy S***!!!! Whattt?!?!? I need more of this book ASAP!!!

I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll just say holy freaking cow!!!! What a curve ball to throw Tyler and Aimee’s way!

Please someone tell me there will be another story for them because there is no way this can be finished!

[Victoria Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Tyler, he waited for his chance. Question is will Ailee give him that chance? There is more to this then just a guy wanting the girl. It has a good storyline to keep you interested.

[inlovewithbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
ARC Review


The drastic change was just the cherry on top. I am really picky towards the plot of the book but this one was just chefs kisses. Loved the characters and the plot.

[Alex Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, riveting read. Deliciously dark and dangerous. Handles the subject matter very well. Great characters, and a well written storyline. Would recommend.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not her knight in shining armor. I'm her downfall. She just doesn't know it yet. I enjoyed Tyler & Ailee’s book. It was an intriguing read. And am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining read

[Angel Rayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

[arieste323 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really good. Very emotionally deep. I was not expecting the roller coaster ride. Ailee is a strong 50 year old woman who has some emotional baggage. Tyler is a 34 year old man who has suffered some trauma of his own. Tyler is infatuated with Ailee from the start. These two connect in such a raw way. He convinces her to give him a chance. There is lots of twists that were unexpected. Love their HFN. Definitely recommend. This is a heavy read.
I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.