🌟🌟🌟🌟🌗 out of 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
BLURB
I've been in love with him forever.
But to him, I've always been off-limits. Until the night that changed everything.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the secrets we shared. Maybe he finally opened his eyes and saw me.
By the time the sun rose, I’d lost him again, my heart shattering on his parting words: “It was a mistake.” So I ran. Ran until I was thousands of miles away, in a country I didn't know, surrounded by people who only made me miss him more.
I never expected him to follow me … or to pry more secrets from my soul. In exchange, he gave me more of his secrets too.
The more he let me into his heart, the more I loved him, but I’m afraid that some secrets may be too big to overcome.
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/
PLAYLIST
Direct Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/
I've been in love with him forever.
But to him, I've always been off-limits. Until the night that changed everything.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the secrets we shared. Maybe he finally opened his eyes and saw me.
By the time the sun rose, I’d lost him again, my heart shattering on his parting words: “It was a mistake.” So I ran. Ran until I was thousands of miles away, in a country I didn't know, surrounded by people who only made me miss him more.
I never expected him to follow me … or to pry more secrets from my soul. In exchange, he gave me more of his secrets too.
The more he let me into his heart, the more I loved him, but I’m afraid that some secrets may be too big to overcome.
GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/
PLAYLIST
Direct Link: https://open.spotify.com/user/
EXCERPT
I was going to throw up from the nerves.
No, I told myself. No throwing up. Not when you’re expecting Sam to come into your room any second.
But the feeling was so strong. I popped a mint from my bedside table in my mouth, rolled it around my tongue a few times, but the urge was still there.
Oh, shit. Was this a mistake? Was inviting Sam into my room a big fat problem? I was leaving for America tomorrow.
The printed itinerary, neatly stacked on my chest of drawers laughed at me. What
was I going to do? I couldn’t let Sam come up here.
My hands fisted in my hair as I berated myself for telling him to come. What was I thinking? I wasn’t some sexual nymph, skilled in the way Sam surely was. I wasn’t a virgin, but I hadn’t actually messed around with a bunch of guys.
I didn’t know what to do.
I walked to the door, pressed my palm flat to it. I’d lock it. Then he couldn’t come in. He’d walk away, and we’d forget this ever happened.
Look how well that happened the last time you kissed him, my memory taunted me. Three years later, and you’re still wondering ‘what if.’
There was no reasonable escape from this situation. And, if there was, there was no escape that would make me not obsess over the ‘what if.’
It’d be okay, I told myself. Of course it would. Sex was nothing, right?
But I didn’t even believe my own thoughts. My nerves battled with my own desire. I couldn’t process a single thing.
I ran my fingers over my eyebrows or, what was left of them that wasn’t colored in, at least. I’d pulled so many out in the days leading up to the trip, needing some control over this impending trip.
I trailed my fingers to the sides of my face, tugging on my earlobes to ground me, and then, in tandem, I pulled out a hair with each hand. The immediate relief was nearly as intoxicating as the alcohol I’d consume in how it numbed my fears.
It would be okay.
I took in a cleansing breath, looking around my room for anything potentially embarrassing.
The blinds were open, so I closed them, leaving my room in soft, muted grays aside from the yellow lamp that lit up my dressing table.
My hand was on the back of the lamp to turn it off when my door creaked open.
Sam stood in the threshold, nearly taking up the entire space.
I switched the light off.
It was only a few loud heartbeats before he said, “Turn it back on.”
I hesitated.
I couldn’t see him, but I heard the creak on the floor by the door. “Turn it on, Lotte.”
Swallowing hard, I did.
The room was illuminated again in soft light, casting shadows into the angles of Sam’s face—making him look exactly as he was: dangerous.
I was going to throw up from the nerves.
No, I told myself. No throwing up. Not when you’re expecting Sam to come into your room any second.
But the feeling was so strong. I popped a mint from my bedside table in my mouth, rolled it around my tongue a few times, but the urge was still there.
Oh, shit. Was this a mistake? Was inviting Sam into my room a big fat problem? I was leaving for America tomorrow.
The printed itinerary, neatly stacked on my chest of drawers laughed at me. What
was I going to do? I couldn’t let Sam come up here.My hands fisted in my hair as I berated myself for telling him to come. What was I thinking? I wasn’t some sexual nymph, skilled in the way Sam surely was. I wasn’t a virgin, but I hadn’t actually messed around with a bunch of guys.
I didn’t know what to do.
I walked to the door, pressed my palm flat to it. I’d lock it. Then he couldn’t come in. He’d walk away, and we’d forget this ever happened.
Look how well that happened the last time you kissed him, my memory taunted me. Three years later, and you’re still wondering ‘what if.’
There was no reasonable escape from this situation. And, if there was, there was no escape that would make me not obsess over the ‘what if.’
It’d be okay, I told myself. Of course it would. Sex was nothing, right?
But I didn’t even believe my own thoughts. My nerves battled with my own desire. I couldn’t process a single thing.
I ran my fingers over my eyebrows or, what was left of them that wasn’t colored in, at least. I’d pulled so many out in the days leading up to the trip, needing some control over this impending trip.
I trailed my fingers to the sides of my face, tugging on my earlobes to ground me, and then, in tandem, I pulled out a hair with each hand. The immediate relief was nearly as intoxicating as the alcohol I’d consume in how it numbed my fears.
It would be okay.
I took in a cleansing breath, looking around my room for anything potentially embarrassing.
The blinds were open, so I closed them, leaving my room in soft, muted grays aside from the yellow lamp that lit up my dressing table.
My hand was on the back of the lamp to turn it off when my door creaked open.
Sam stood in the threshold, nearly taking up the entire space.
I switched the light off.
It was only a few loud heartbeats before he said, “Turn it back on.”
I hesitated.
I couldn’t see him, but I heard the creak on the floor by the door. “Turn it on, Lotte.”
Swallowing hard, I did.
The room was illuminated again in soft light, casting shadows into the angles of Sam’s face—making him look exactly as he was: dangerous.
*Received
an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review*
This was a heartbreaking albeit beautiful love story. Each of the main characters are struggling with issues, Lotte with loss and anxiety and Samson with something brought about by mistakes in his past. They are each attempting to cope in ways that are unhealthy and end up driving them further down the path that leads to pain. They each punish themselves and feel as if they are not good enough.
I loved this book! I have read a few books from Whitney Barbetti in the past but I have to say that this one is by far my favorite. She really captures the essence of the struggles that the characters are dealing with without it overpowering the love story or feeling preachy. I appreciated how the author didn't just throw drama into the story in order to have conflict to drive the story along. The issues are established from the beginning and are allowed to progress naturally throughout the rest of the story as it unfolds.
It was a character driven story more than anything else and Samson and Lotte will definitely draw the reader into their story. I know that I was immediately drawn in. There is a scene towards the beginning from Lotte's point of view and in any other book I would think "that would be painful" but in this book I felt a sharp pain in my heart because of what she experiences as if I was going through it in her place. I loved both of the main characters and they each add to the story in different ways.
I know that this may seem nit-picky but the reason that I took away half of a star was due to wanting more background on the characters, specially Samson. The author doesn't really give any background on him at all with the exception of how he fits into Lotte's family. I would have liked to have had some hints or foreshadowing with regards to his secret that is revealed towards the end of the book.
I loved this book! I have read a few books from Whitney Barbetti in the past but I have to say that this one is by far my favorite. She really captures the essence of the struggles that the characters are dealing with without it overpowering the love story or feeling preachy. I appreciated how the author didn't just throw drama into the story in order to have conflict to drive the story along. The issues are established from the beginning and are allowed to progress naturally throughout the rest of the story as it unfolds.
It was a character driven story more than anything else and Samson and Lotte will definitely draw the reader into their story. I know that I was immediately drawn in. There is a scene towards the beginning from Lotte's point of view and in any other book I would think "that would be painful" but in this book I felt a sharp pain in my heart because of what she experiences as if I was going through it in her place. I loved both of the main characters and they each add to the story in different ways.
I know that this may seem nit-picky but the reason that I took away half of a star was due to wanting more background on the characters, specially Samson. The author doesn't really give any background on him at all with the exception of how he fits into Lotte's family. I would have liked to have had some hints or foreshadowing with regards to his secret that is revealed towards the end of the book.
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AUTHOR BIO
I am a wife to one and a mom to two humans and one cat. I have a deep and abiding love for nachos - especially the kind with the liquid cheese, like from Taco Bell (sorry). I run on less than
four hours of sleep thanks to copious amounts of Diet Coke. (Note: this paragraph is not sponsored by anyone except my hungry stomach.)
As a Navy brat, I grew up all over the country, from California and up the east coast from Florida to New England and Colorado. I currently live in Idaho, where we have lots of potatoes and windmills.
I write character-driven contemporary romance novels, heavy on the emotional connection. I LOVE love. I love writing about broken characters who find their soul mates.
I am a wife to one and a mom to two humans and one cat. I have a deep and abiding love for nachos - especially the kind with the liquid cheese, like from Taco Bell (sorry). I run on less than
four hours of sleep thanks to copious amounts of Diet Coke. (Note: this paragraph is not sponsored by anyone except my hungry stomach.)
As a Navy brat, I grew up all over the country, from California and up the east coast from Florida to New England and Colorado. I currently live in Idaho, where we have lots of potatoes and windmills.
I write character-driven contemporary romance novels, heavy on the emotional connection. I LOVE love. I love writing about broken characters who find their soul mates.
AUTHOR LINKS
Website: http://www.whitneybarbetti.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/
GIVEAWAY
There is a giveaway for a signed copy of The Sounds of Secrets + The Weight of Life by Whitney Barbetti (1 winner, US only)
http://www.rafflecopter.com/
I’m glad a favorite author of yours didn’t disappoint. This one does sound bittersweet.
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