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4.17 AVERAGE
4.17 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Erica & Steve
I really went back-and-forth over what to rate this book. There were some points where this was five stars - a gut wrenching and beautifully written story - and other moments where I wasn’t sure if this book was for me.
This is not a light and fluffy read. This is an emotional book that made me cry several times. It is a story about love, second chances, grief, and healing.
Steve lost his wife Heather to cancer nine months ago, during the opening chapters of Poker Face. They were high school sweethearts who met aged eight and were married for nine years. Steve is still struggling with his grief and navigating a world without his wife.
Erica’s fiancé Dominic was killed in a hit-and-run where Erica was also injured. He died at the scene while Erica was transported to hospital - where she meets Steve for the first time. Alone and grieving, Erica is a little lost in her new reality. She and Don had just moved to the area and were staying in a hotel while they viewed properties. She ends up renting Maddie’s old houseboat - which is docked on Steve’s land. Steve sees a lot of himself in Erica and starts to look out for her. He can be gruff at times ultimately his intentions are good.
Erica and Steve work through their grief both alone and together. There are some emotional conversations and difficult moments between them and their friends/family. Grief isn’t linear or structured, nor does it follow a set schedule. Both Erica and Steve struggle to deal with their feelings for one another while still loving their late partners.
Overall, I liked the story. I’m not sure I’d use the word enjoy because I cried. A lot.
However. I did have two pretty big critique/issue, both of which relate to Dom’s passing. First, Dom’s death was very much secondary to Heather’s. I felt like we rarely got to see Erica grieve particularly in comparison to Steve. She was a supporting character in his story. Second, I also hated how early the Poker Club began scheming to get Erica and Steve together. They were very aware of Steve’s grief and struggles. They focused on his opportunity to find happiness again while ignoring the fact Erica had lost her partner less than a month ago. That just didn’t really sit right with me.
I really went back-and-forth over what to rate this book. There were some points where this was five stars - a gut wrenching and beautifully written story - and other moments where I wasn’t sure if this book was for me.
This is not a light and fluffy read. This is an emotional book that made me cry several times. It is a story about love, second chances, grief, and healing.
Steve lost his wife Heather to cancer nine months ago, during the opening chapters of Poker Face. They were high school sweethearts who met aged eight and were married for nine years. Steve is still struggling with his grief and navigating a world without his wife.
Erica’s fiancé Dominic was killed in a hit-and-run where Erica was also injured. He died at the scene while Erica was transported to hospital - where she meets Steve for the first time. Alone and grieving, Erica is a little lost in her new reality. She and Don had just moved to the area and were staying in a hotel while they viewed properties. She ends up renting Maddie’s old houseboat - which is docked on Steve’s land. Steve sees a lot of himself in Erica and starts to look out for her. He can be gruff at times ultimately his intentions are good.
Erica and Steve work through their grief both alone and together. There are some emotional conversations and difficult moments between them and their friends/family. Grief isn’t linear or structured, nor does it follow a set schedule. Both Erica and Steve struggle to deal with their feelings for one another while still loving their late partners.
Overall, I liked the story. I’m not sure I’d use the word enjoy because I cried. A lot.
However. I did have two pretty big critique/issue, both of which relate to Dom’s passing. First, Dom’s death was very much secondary to Heather’s. I felt like we rarely got to see Erica grieve particularly in comparison to Steve. She was a supporting character in his story. Second, I also hated how early the Poker Club began scheming to get Erica and Steve together. They were very aware of Steve’s grief and struggles. They focused on his opportunity to find happiness again while ignoring the fact Erica had lost her partner less than a month ago. That just didn’t really sit right with me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Honestly, I didn’t think it was possible for any of the other Beaufort Poker Club couples to steal my heart the way Luca and Maddie did in Poker Face, but my love for Steve and Erica has surpassed that of Luca and Maddie. In a nutshell, Maggie Gates has delivered a steamy, emotional, intense, second chance romance that had me bawling one minute and laughing so hard trying to catch my breath the next.
Wild Card by Maggie Gates is the second book in the Beaufort Poker Club series. It is a standalone HEA, but the series is best enjoyed in order. Wild Card is a small-town, slow-burn, second chance romance about redemption, forgiveness, healing, heartbreak, and the possibility of two once-in-a-lifetime loves. Steve Pelham lost his wife to cancer and for the past nine months has been a grumpy cop who tells it like it is. One fateful day Steve is present at the accident and subsequently the hospital in which Erica Shaw’s fiancė passed away because of injuries sustained in the accident. Erica is new to town and must start her life anew alone in a small town where she knew no one. Erica and Steve deal with their grief in different ways, but soon realize the similarities in their lives. Their attraction to one another leaves them confused but wanting. Mix in a series of mysterious crimes, a bunch of meddling friends, and two grief-stricken individuals and you get the masterpiece that is Wild Card.
This book was everything and more I wanted for Steve’s HEA. After seeing him lose his partner of twenty-plus years in Poker Face, I wanted nothing more than Steve to get this chance at a HEA. Erica and Steve have been through similar losses and their strength really shines in this book. They both come to feel comfortable exposing their vulnerability to each other and they understand each other on a level the other Poker Club members don’t because of their shared grief over the loss of their partners. I loved the portrayal of Steve and Erica and the changes in their characters after they came into each other’s life. This book is gut-wrenchingly emotional and Maggie Gates has written this steamy, spicy love story so beautifully; she makes you feel all the feels for this couple. All the characters, even the secondary ones, are well crafted in a way that makes you want to know their stories now. I can’t wait for more of this series and the next glimpse into this loveable group of friends!
Rating: ALL THE STARS!!!! (But seriously 10/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Wild Card by Maggie Gates is the second book in the Beaufort Poker Club series. It is a standalone HEA, but the series is best enjoyed in order. Wild Card is a small-town, slow-burn, second chance romance about redemption, forgiveness, healing, heartbreak, and the possibility of two once-in-a-lifetime loves. Steve Pelham lost his wife to cancer and for the past nine months has been a grumpy cop who tells it like it is. One fateful day Steve is present at the accident and subsequently the hospital in which Erica Shaw’s fiancė passed away because of injuries sustained in the accident. Erica is new to town and must start her life anew alone in a small town where she knew no one. Erica and Steve deal with their grief in different ways, but soon realize the similarities in their lives. Their attraction to one another leaves them confused but wanting. Mix in a series of mysterious crimes, a bunch of meddling friends, and two grief-stricken individuals and you get the masterpiece that is Wild Card.
This book was everything and more I wanted for Steve’s HEA. After seeing him lose his partner of twenty-plus years in Poker Face, I wanted nothing more than Steve to get this chance at a HEA. Erica and Steve have been through similar losses and their strength really shines in this book. They both come to feel comfortable exposing their vulnerability to each other and they understand each other on a level the other Poker Club members don’t because of their shared grief over the loss of their partners. I loved the portrayal of Steve and Erica and the changes in their characters after they came into each other’s life. This book is gut-wrenchingly emotional and Maggie Gates has written this steamy, spicy love story so beautifully; she makes you feel all the feels for this couple. All the characters, even the secondary ones, are well crafted in a way that makes you want to know their stories now. I can’t wait for more of this series and the next glimpse into this loveable group of friends!
Rating: ALL THE STARS!!!! (But seriously 10/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
relaxing
medium-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
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