Friday, December 11, 2020

Better Late Than Never by Ghiselle St. James

 




Title: Better Late Than Never
Author: Ghiselle St. James
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 11, 2020


BLURB

Not every love story is a fairytale... 

Savannah 
Since we were fifteen years old, my best friend, Kyle Moxam, has been a constant in my life. We’ve argued, fought, blocked each other – well, I have – and made up over Pop Tarts and purple soda. We've been on a cycle of will they/won't they/should they since then. We should because of our history...we can't because of our present circumstances. And, boy, what circumstances they are! I may be on the verge of losing the only person I've ever truly loved. Or am I...? 

Kyle 
Since I was fifteen years old, Savannah ‘Savi’ Carpenter has played the role of my best friend, while my heart – and other parts of my anatomy – ached for her. Our friendship has been tested over the years, but we’ve always come out stronger through it all. Not this time. I may have pushed her too far and I don't know if we can come back from this. Can we survive this latest test with our friendship and heart intact? I sure as hell hope I don't lose her...because that would suck. 

Better Late Than Never is a quirky tale of friendship, love, sacrifice and hope. Follow Savannah 'Savi' Carpenter as she navigates life, love, and everything in between, with her best friend, Kyle Moxam and the rest of the gang. 

DISCLAIMER: There is no infidelity within this story, no matter how it looks. This is an angsty romance. So be prepared to throw your kindle...or at the very least, develop a complex or start drinking.


REVIEW
Rating: ☆☆☆☆


Friends to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers...Savannah and Kyle are on a vicious circle that is frustrating, disappointing and just plain made me want to scream!

These two have been best friends since high school and every time they get close to more, something or someone gets in their way. Mainly Kyle's actions are at fault. There were times that I considered their relationship to be unhealthy, with the way that Savannah always seemed to be left picking up the pieces of her heart time and time again. However, when together they spark and the chemistry is obvious and this leaves you wanting them to end up together. However, at the start of this book it is difficult to see how this is possible with Kyle asking Savannah to plan his wedding. 

Kyle had a lot of growing up to do throughout this book so that he can recognise that Savannah is it for him. In fairness he did recognise this early on but didn't consider himself worthy and the stars never really aligned for them. Savannah has to be the most patient woman on the planet...never really giving up hope on Kyle coming back to her permanently. Many of her actions over the years were about protecting her heart from multiple breaks from involvement with Kyle. 

This was a long journey for these two but worth the wait. It was a HEA years in the making with plenty of heartbreak, emotion and twists and turns along the way. Once I got over shouting at my kindle at the decisions these two made, I really enjoyed their story. It certainly made me feel and the writing had me captivated in their story.


PURCHASE LINKS

$2.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





EXCERPT

Resurrecting my old car, I pull up to the hospital, already finding her outside waiting. She walks toward the car, opens the door and hops in, just like old times, tossing her coat and purse in the backseat…just like old times. We don’t speak; just allow the music to drift us away as the singer suggests. 
Deciding to take the scenic route to her house, we end up stopping at our favorite spot. Rooting around in my bag pack, I find a pop tart and warm purple soda and we split it, watching the sun set over the blue waters of Cape Aventura. 
“I’ve missed the sunsets here,” she muses and I nod, unable to speak for fears of telling her that I’ve missed her
Before we know it, night falls and we’ve been out here for more than an hour, chatting and people watching, and letting the music from the car stereo sate us. At some point our hands drift to find each other, our fingers threading together. I am stroking her knuckles in the next second, and then in another, I’m holding her. 
We begin swaying as the next song takes us somewhere only we know, deep in our memories and what-ifs. As the last notes play, I gaze down at Savi in my arms. Something shifts between us then, the air pulsating with beats of things unsaid and a pull so strong. I feel it, as does she. 
Our heads move in tandem and, in an instant, our lips touch. I want to cry with a relief I never knew I was feeling. Desperate, she pulls me closer to her, our tongues clashing, lashing at each other as if we are trying to consume this moment through kisses. 
Finally, we pull apart. Savi’s lips are swollen and she touches them with a shaky hand. We stare at each other, a whole conversation occurring. 
She wants me as much as I want her. 
Heart pounding, I go around to the back of my car, pop open the trunk and pull out the blanket; the same blanket we used just two years ago when Savannah had given me her most precious gift. I’d like to say I haven’t washed it since then, but that’d be a lie. I don’t need a funky blanket to remind me that my best friend and I made love. 
It haunts my every waking day.






AUTHOR BIO

Writing under the pen name Ghiselle St. James, Ghiselle was born and raised in Jamaica, West Indies (cue "Welcome to Jamrock" by Damion 'Jr. Gong' Marley...LOL).

She has a never-ending love for written thoughts: poetry, song lyrics and fiction. Ghiselle writes about tough heroines (much like herself) and the men tasked with loving them.

She has been widowed since 2018, works full time, and has a part-time job lecturing, but always makes time for music of all genres, bedroom concerts that sometimes involves twerking, writing, reading and chatting with friends and readers on Facebook.

She spends most of her summers at a Christian youth camp where she counsels and mentors children and teens, and has done plenty of volunteer work with disadvantaged children and teens, living in inner-city communities.

Ghiselle is already working on her next release, so look out for more from her!


AUTHOR LINKS




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