Meh...

I guess I will start with the easy part. I know Andi + Seb narration. I love it. I will always download this duo without hesitation.

Sorry Ward fans (myself included), but i was not impressed by this one. It was such a formula story that by the end in my head I went "finally, it's over". I have always auto downloaded Ward books without hesitation because I was always drawn in by her stories from the get go. There wasn't that spark with this book. It's almost like Ward went down a checklist of 'romance-book-must-have' and ticked them off chapter by chapter. Honestly this wasn't for me and would not recommend this listen unless you are going through a dry spell.

13 people found this helpful

So well done!!

Wow..what a really amazing read this was!! As a former educator I think that the part that I loved the most was how Sunny, a down’s syndrome baby, was described by her mom Carys and the clear message that each and every one should envision…something that every classroom teachers has a chance to instill in all of their students. A child, every child, needs to be accepted for their individuality—no different than any other. Beyond that we have two people who have had to reframe the dream they had for themselves…one is Deacon, a famous football player and the other is Carys, a prima ballerina….each with their own personal demons to boot. I am not one for summarizing a story as I want you to read it on your own and this one is well worth your time…and just let me say that I both read it and listened to the audiobook…each bringing a new dimension to the story. So many favorite parts…daily coffee runs and conversations…texting at the grocery store when Deacon is trying to buy diapers, along with all of the other things that are so out of her purview. Carys dancing naked in front of the mirror just for herself was an amazing visual that I would have like to see…she was so talented to have her not be able to dance professionally. And…mostly the way that Sunny played Deacon to carry her around everyplace. This is the perfect book for you Book Club…personal tragedies that change your life’s plan, the pain of feeling like a failure to others, dealing with disjointed family issues…or the role of adults in the lives of children when you are not biologically connected. Maybe and most importantly how to accept all children and adults(thinking of both Sunny and Autumn here) so they do not feel differently by the people around them. This is so much more than a 5-star read and absolutely one of Penelope’s best…although I say that a lot.

3 people found this helpful

My cup runneth over🥰

From beginning to end, ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!! The narration was AMAZING of course with Andi & Sebastian!!!

This book left me so full.... worth the money!

2 people found this helpful

Love it!

Spoiler. The baby had Down’s syndrome. I was really enjoying this story and then it was mentioned that “Sunny” has Down’s syndrome. This story has now become one of my favorite Penelope Ward stories!! My oldest sister is mentally retarded ( we do not know her actual diagnosis so she’s kept her original diagnosis)and has the mentality of a 5/6 year old. So this story pulled at my heart strings and hit home on a round about way. I throughly enjoyed listening to Cari and Deacon’s characters.

1 person found this helpful

Anti climactic and disappointing

As always the narrator’s were great but the story was really lacking. The characters had potential that they never reached. I’m a huge Penelope Ward fan but this one felt phoned in. There were so many tropes being all thrown together it didn’t feel natural and I was mostly just waiting for it to be over.

1 person found this helpful

Amazing story made even better by the narrators

Andi Arndt and Sebastian York are two of my favorite narrator duos. They both make what is already an amazing story so much better and truly bring these characters to life.

I don't think any words I type can do justice for this book. Penelope never ceases to amaze me with the amazing stories and characters she writes but she truly outdoes herself each and every time. Deacon and Carys were wonderful characters on their own but when you add in Sunny, Carys's adorable daughter, she truly brought a whole new light into this book.

Carys was a single mother who was doing the absolute best she could with zero help from anyone, her family or Sunny's father. This woman was so strong all the time and trust was very hard to come by for her. Sunny will always hold a special place in my heart as one of Penelope's characters. This little girl truly brightened up any and every situation.

Deacon was hard to get a read on at first. It took some time before we could understand his reasonings for his choices. I was glad we didn't have to endure too many of his exploits as Carys and Sunny worked their way into his heart and mind fairly quickly. I truly enjoyed his time spent with Sunny, he was so amazing with her and he had no clue how to care for a young baby.

I enjoyed that their relationship was a very slow build. Obviously they had intense attraction for each other but with their pasts hanging over their heads, neither wanted to ruin the wonderful friendship they had started. But I knew that if given the chance, they could really make a beautiful life together. But sometimes fate has other ideas in place and the past must be dealt with before the future can begin.

I just want to tell everyone to buy this book, you will not be disappointed.

1 person found this helpful

The light that emerges from darkness

Geez! The storyline, the characters, the narrators were all fan-freaking-tastic!!! The twists in the storyline and for Deacon and single mom, Carys (like Paris) were great. I loved their text message conversations from the store! I really enjoyed this audible! 4.5 stars across

1 person found this helpful

Deacon's love for baby Sunny had me swooning HARD!

Oh my heart! Romance novels with babies in them get me every time! The friendship between Carys and Deacon was so sweet, and I loved his grocery store text messages. I felt their relationship developed quite authentically, and their dialog and conversations were so real. The way their past experiences connected them added such a great layer to their relationship. Deacon's love for baby Sunny had me swooning HARD! I purchased the audiobook and finished it in just a day- the story consumed me. Fan favorites Andi Arndt and Sebastian York were fantastic as usual.

1 person found this helpful

Love

I absolutely love this book! The storyline is the best thing ever!!! Excellent book! The narrators are 2 of the best ones out in the book world!

Oh the tears

What a beautiful story. Poignant, touching, funny at times. Beautifully narrated by Andi and SebYo. Though Penelope’s formula rarely changes, she manages to reinvent her stories in the best of ways. And she manages to always treat special needs/mental health with the outmost care and dare I say love.

I was on a book hangover before I started this one... well now it’s even stronger!