Title: Pretty Pink Ribbons
Author: K.L. Grayson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Cover Design: Perfect Pear Creative Covers
Photographer: Tomasz Zienkiewicz Photography
Synopsis
Dying . . .
Dead . . .
Deceased . . .
It doesn’t matter how many times I say it or how many different names I give it, it still means the same thing. One of these days I’ll be nothing but a passing memory, a familiar face in a forgotten photo. But there’s three things I need before this life of mine ends . . .
I need to tell him I love him more than life itself.
I need to feel the strength of his arms wrapped around me just one more night.
Most of all, I need him to forgive me.
Eight years ago I broke the heart of the only man I’ve ever loved and today I’m moving home in hopes that he’ll let me put it back together. I’m not sure how many breaths I have left, but I’ll use each and every last one fighting for what I destroyed.
My name is Laney Jacobs and this is my journey.
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Excerpt
“I wish it was someone else,” she croaks, swallowing hard. “There are thousands of bad people in the world, but it happened to you.” I watch her eyes fill with tears and then I look away. It’s pathetic of me really; that I’m unable to look my best friend in the face when it’s obvious that she is struggling with this almost as much as I am. But I’ve cried my fair share of tears and although I’m certain my tear ducts have yet to dry up, I don’t want to cry tonight. Somehow I know that if I watch Mia break, then I’ll shatter right along with her.
“I’m glad it’s me.” She gasps, startled by my words, and I rush to try and explain. “If it wasn’t me, it would be someone else, and I would never wish this upon someone else. You know that saying that God will only give you what you can handle?”
She nods.
“Sometimes I tell myself that he just thinks I’m really strong and I can handle it, whereas someone else couldn’t.”
“Does that help?” she asks. “Does that make you feel better about it?”
“No, but it eases my mind. Sometimes when I’m having a good day, it brings me peace, however temporary it may be. But no, it doesn’t make me feel better.”
“Peace,” she whispers, seemingly trying the word on for size. “I want you to have peace.”
**I received an ebook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review**
Pretty Pink Ribbons isn’t your typical romance book. Yes, there’s so much romance there, but the book deals with some pretty deep subject matter, and has a fair share of angst as well.
Laney broke Levi’s heart when she left to chase her dreams eight years earlier. Now she’s back in town, harboring a large, life-changing secret and a determination to do whatever it takes to get Levi back in her life. He’s not so quick to trust her however, even if there are still some feelings deep down inside of him.
I’m going to start by saying I was so, so, so impressed and pleased with the way that Grayson dealt with the difficult subject matter in this book. I’m not going to say what that subject matter is, because I don’t want to spoil anything for potential readers, but I will say that I watched someone very close to me go through the same struggle that Laney went through, and Grayson did an amazing job of making everything realistic and emotionally charged. I cried so much when I read this book, and I always see that as a good thing, because it’s a testament to the level of talent the author has. Grayson pulled at my heartstrings, broke open some old memories, and really touched me with this particular tale.
This story moved along at a great pace. Even though there was a big flash forward, and we missed a chunk of time, it didn’t feel like it because there were enough details given and the plot was constructed in such a way that the time hop felt natural. Grayson didn’t rush anything, the storyline progressed in a way that felt right, and the character development and transformation was spot on.
I loved so much about this book. I love Levi. He’s such an amazing character, he’s very selfless, and I could almost feel his love for Laney jumping off the pages of the book. I loved Mia, because she’s absolutely loyal and she’s fun and snarky too. I loved Benny and Luke and the banter that happens between this small, close-knit group of friends. I loved Laney’s determination to find hope, even when it seemed like there was none left.
One of my favorite things about the book was that it’s set in the St. Louis area. I visit the city multiple times each year, so I could visualize things that were written, picture places that were mentioned, and felt at times like I was right there inside of the novel.
This book has definitely earned itself a spot in my top favorites of 2015. It’s definitely filled with a fair share of angst and some sadness, but there’s so much hope and love and beauty in the book as well. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance and isn’t afraid to dive into a book that deals with heavy issues that a lot of people encounter in their day-to-day lives.
5 stars to this book!
I asked K.L. who her top 5 favorite authors are, and this is what she had to say:
1. Jill Shalvis
2. Kristen Proby
3. Samantha Young
4.Bella Andre
5. J. Lynn
About The Author
K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.
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Giveaway
