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4.29 AVERAGE
4.29 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
Thank you Sarah A Bailey for the opportunity to read this ARC. It was a privilege and honor, I look forward to reading more books by you in the future.
✨Synopsis✨
Heathen and Honeysuckle is a dual timeline and dual POV second chance romance. Darby Andrew’s is the golden child that gets shipped away to her grandmothers house in California where she meets the bad boy surfer Leo Graham. The story follows them through their friendship and falling in love at 17. To Darby at 27 engaged and arranged to be married to man picked by her father. When Leo shows up the day of the wedding, Darby has the decision to make; follow her heart or continue to be the good girl her dad wants her to be.
✨Review✨
Sarah Bailey did not disappoint with this book! I can’t get over how much I loved this book. The dual timelines and woven together beautifully and being able to have Darby and Leo’s point of view allowed us as readers to get to know them at different stages in their relationship. I fell in love with both of them. I had all the emotions while reading this book. This was my first Sarah Bailey book and I will 100% be diving into her 2 previous books next! You all need to add this to your TBR now. Will be released on May 7th so mark your calendars!
✨TROPES✨
* Small town
* Second chance
* Found family
* Good girl x bad boy
* Dual POV
* Runaway bride
* Forbidden
* Dual timeline
* Pro surfer
✨Synopsis✨
Heathen and Honeysuckle is a dual timeline and dual POV second chance romance. Darby Andrew’s is the golden child that gets shipped away to her grandmothers house in California where she meets the bad boy surfer Leo Graham. The story follows them through their friendship and falling in love at 17. To Darby at 27 engaged and arranged to be married to man picked by her father. When Leo shows up the day of the wedding, Darby has the decision to make; follow her heart or continue to be the good girl her dad wants her to be.
✨Review✨
Sarah Bailey did not disappoint with this book! I can’t get over how much I loved this book. The dual timelines and woven together beautifully and being able to have Darby and Leo’s point of view allowed us as readers to get to know them at different stages in their relationship. I fell in love with both of them. I had all the emotions while reading this book. This was my first Sarah Bailey book and I will 100% be diving into her 2 previous books next! You all need to add this to your TBR now. Will be released on May 7th so mark your calendars!
✨TROPES✨
* Small town
* Second chance
* Found family
* Good girl x bad boy
* Dual POV
* Runaway bride
* Forbidden
* Dual timeline
* Pro surfer
Right off the bat, this book is hitting me in the feels. I was not raised uber Christian like Darby, but I was raised Catholic and no longer subscribe. I, like Leo, believe you can be a good person without worrying about impressing a man in a white robe.
Additionally, my great grandmother used to sing “you are my sunshine” to me so often that I now have a sunshine tattoo in her memory. So every time Darby’s grandma called her “Sunshine”, my heart would squeeze.
I have a tendency to stick to high spice, low anxiety books (there’s enough to be stressed about in real life) so I don’t know that I would say this book fit those parameters. I wasn’t really stressed or anxious but there was so much tension and so many FEELINGS!! It was a beautiful story that had me hooked from the start. The now and then story telling was executed perfectly. I feel like all the puzzle pieces were falling into place at just the right time.
The cast of characters were wonderful! I loved them all so much (except for Darby’s parents, who I hated very much). Every single Zach, Elena and August scene gave me anxiety. If book three isn’t their story, I will riot. I know Sarah has already said that book two will be Dahlia’s book - I cannot wait to see her climb Everett like a tree.
This was a beautiful love story that I would definitely recommend. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice:
Additionally, my great grandmother used to sing “you are my sunshine” to me so often that I now have a sunshine tattoo in her memory. So every time Darby’s grandma called her “Sunshine”, my heart would squeeze.
I have a tendency to stick to high spice, low anxiety books (there’s enough to be stressed about in real life) so I don’t know that I would say this book fit those parameters. I wasn’t really stressed or anxious but there was so much tension and so many FEELINGS!! It was a beautiful story that had me hooked from the start. The now and then story telling was executed perfectly. I feel like all the puzzle pieces were falling into place at just the right time.
The cast of characters were wonderful! I loved them all so much (except for Darby’s parents, who I hated very much). Every single Zach, Elena and August scene gave me anxiety. If book three isn’t their story, I will riot. I know Sarah has already said that book two will be Dahlia’s book - I cannot wait to see her climb Everett like a tree.
This was a beautiful love story that I would definitely recommend. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice:
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh god, this was heartbreaking and healing all at the same time. I absolutely loved the way the dual timeline was done, spliced in amongst the “now” portion. Slowly getting more context and a deeper understanding for these characters just made it a delicious read.
My whole heart was ripped apart for what Darby (and honestly, Dahlia too) went through at the hands of their parents in the name of purity culture. But seeing how the summer with Leo started to change her, and how he slowly brought her back when they’re reunited was just beautiful. I loved that Leo didn’t hold resentment or anger, and gave her so much space. The relationship between the two of them was so perfect. Nobody deserves their HEA more than these two.
The spice was also perfect, and the mutual masturbation scene in the bathroom is going to love rent free in my head for years to come.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series- I loved the glimpses of Dahlia we got and I’m excited to see her get her dues
My whole heart was ripped apart for what Darby (and honestly, Dahlia too) went through at the hands of their parents in the name of purity culture. But seeing how the summer with Leo started to change her, and how he slowly brought her back when they’re reunited was just beautiful. I loved that Leo didn’t hold resentment or anger, and gave her so much space. The relationship between the two of them was so perfect. Nobody deserves their HEA more than these two.
The spice was also perfect, and the mutual masturbation scene in the bathroom is going to love rent free in my head for years to come.
I cannot wait for the next book in this series- I loved the glimpses of Dahlia we got and I’m excited to see her get her dues
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
A couple of things.
1. Leo is TOP shelf book boyfriend. The crème de la creme. I’m not sure how it’s ever better than him. Golden retriever x cinnamon roll x ♾️. Seriously, he’s perfect, he’s on the highest of pedestals, he can do NO wrong.
2. If you’re going to read it, get some tissues ready.
This book was so freaking good, I was obsessed from page 1. I will die on this hill, Leo & Darby are literally the most perfect little babies ever.
I need more 14, immediately 😍😭
🌶️🌶️🌶️
A couple of things.
1. Leo is TOP shelf book boyfriend. The crème de la creme. I’m not sure how it’s ever better than him. Golden retriever x cinnamon roll x ♾️. Seriously, he’s perfect, he’s on the highest of pedestals, he can do NO wrong.
2. If you’re going to read it, get some tissues ready.
This book was so freaking good, I was obsessed from page 1. I will die on this hill, Leo & Darby are literally the most perfect little babies ever.
I need more 14, immediately 😍😭
I have cried so much durning this that I need more
My heart
5 ⭐️ +++
This was so good. I love these two so much, and my heart is happy, then it's breaking and crying, and then it healed.
5 ⭐️ +++
This was so good. I love these two so much, and my heart is happy, then it's breaking and crying, and then it healed.
