WHAT HE DOESN'T KNOW
by KANDI STEINER
On the northeast side of town, there is a house.
The house was once magical, filled with love and joy and plans for the future.
Inside its walls are many things that belong to me — my books, the china from my mother on my wedding day, the beautiful cage once home to two birds, now empty, just like me.
And a man.
A man who also belongs to me.
A man I no longer wish to keep.
A man who, no doubt, has not slept, though the sun is rising. Because the house where he waits is where I laid my head to rest every night for eight years. Until last night.
No one who knows me would believe Charlie Pierce, the quiet, bookish girl who never made waves is pulling out of the driveway of a man who isn’t her husband.
But they don’t know me at all.
I don’t even know me.
Not anymore.
They say there are two sides to every story, and I suppose in most cases, that’s true. But the one I live inside of? It has three.
On the northeast side of town, there is a house.
But there is no longer a home.
"I would have been lying to myself if I said my intentions with her were completely innocent."
What the hell did Kandi do to meeee?? <--- That's how I want to start this entire thing off because I don't know what I am going to do. This wait, while it's only two weeks, is going to be death defying for me. Clawing at my walls, crying in a corner, woe'ing is me'ing by my lonesome. Kandi, what are you doing?? Are you LAUGHING AT ME?? Now, I may joke through this entire review but this is no laughing matter. This is just me trying to use a defense mechanism to hide my poor broken heart.
Ok....so, first and foremost, my Kandi is back. MY Kandi is back. My angsty story-writing, heartbreaking, torture-weaving Kandi is BACK. This is what she does so well. This is what she does brilliantly. I've missed this über angsty Kandi. Moments gave me pause. Actions gave me anxiety. Words stole my breath away. I gasped and I sighed. I furrowed my brows and I worried my lip....this book gripped me. The mystery surrounding the problems in Charlie's marriage kept me going, page after page. This was such a delicate and angsty dance between past memories and current emotions. But jealousy was not a pretty color on them thar boys. BOTH of them.
This book?? It had some heartbreak, it had some laughter, it even had some truthful sorrow. It encompassed a full range of emotions, but most of all, it had nostalgia and love, memories and comfort. Such a great storyteller in her own right, Kandi makes me giddy with her passion and the angst that she painted the pages with. This book had the beauty of an old love....that didn't feel old. It certainly didn't act old. Every turn of the page brought me a little morsel of a memory; the faded smiles and the wispy sighs. Miniature fire starters that made me want to reach into the pages and hug these characters -- or smack them. But it made me yearn...it made me crave the forbidden, the memory, the desires. There was a spark borne of pain, deceit, sorrow, and compassion. It all played into the pull of hearts, and it allowed a chasm to build. Oh!! And the guilt? Oh gosh, the guilt is not what you'd expect.
"It was never about the music when she was sitting there with me."
Reese was just sigh-worthy for me. Oooh maaan. When you think about someone that is so in tune with another, you know they pay attention to the little things. They make YOU their priority and they do so because they like to see you happy. Reese was this genuine, down to earth, wanted nothing but the best for Charlie, kind of man. Whether it was to the detriment of his own heart or not, he always had her best interests in mind. His selflessness was completely swoon-worthy, and nothing will ever change my mind about him. Granted....he was jonesing for another man's woman, but semantics. I just want him all for myself. I am completely, irrevocably IN LOVE with him. #MINE
Having said that, I am pretty sure Kandi did the virtual impossible with me. I *hated* Cameron. Hated him. Ok? Ha-Ted. So much so that when that ending hit, I was gasping. I was shocked. I was beside myself because I didn't know WHY Kandi did that. Here I was, following along this amazing story and watching myself, umm...I mean, watching Charlie reconnect with her first crush. I was happily watching him be good to her while her husssband was messing around with her heart, treating her like she wasn't important and he had better things to do. What in the world?? Ugh, Kandi!!! I felt sorry for him. What? Whyyy? Why did Cameron make me feel sorry for him?? I blame Kandi....yeah, her.
I don't even know how to suffer through the wait for the next book. Do I do it with Whiskey....or do I do it with Tequila. We should ask the expert, right Kandi? In my heart of hearts, I know I don't aaaactually have to wait that long since I will have an ARC to read soon, but having to wait just a few days is going to be extremely painful. I'll take something....on the rocks. ASAP. kthxbye.
Oh! And I know what #TEAM I'm on....and I can't wait to see what Kandi does with the next book!! 5 Stars easily, hands down....all the way.
"Cameron was her husband. I was the boy who used to live next door."
~BEE
Join her group Kandiland HERE.
"It was never about the music when she was sitting there with me."
Reese was just sigh-worthy for me. Oooh maaan. When you think about someone that is so in tune with another, you know they pay attention to the little things. They make YOU their priority and they do so because they like to see you happy. Reese was this genuine, down to earth, wanted nothing but the best for Charlie, kind of man. Whether it was to the detriment of his own heart or not, he always had her best interests in mind. His selflessness was completely swoon-worthy, and nothing will ever change my mind about him. Granted....he was jonesing for another man's woman, but semantics. I just want him all for myself. I am completely, irrevocably IN LOVE with him. #MINE
Having said that, I am pretty sure Kandi did the virtual impossible with me. I *hated* Cameron. Hated him. Ok? Ha-Ted. So much so that when that ending hit, I was gasping. I was shocked. I was beside myself because I didn't know WHY Kandi did that. Here I was, following along this amazing story and watching myself, umm...I mean, watching Charlie reconnect with her first crush. I was happily watching him be good to her while her husssband was messing around with her heart, treating her like she wasn't important and he had better things to do. What in the world?? Ugh, Kandi!!! I felt sorry for him. What? Whyyy? Why did Cameron make me feel sorry for him?? I blame Kandi....yeah, her.
I don't even know how to suffer through the wait for the next book. Do I do it with Whiskey....or do I do it with Tequila. We should ask the expert, right Kandi? In my heart of hearts, I know I don't aaaactually have to wait that long since I will have an ARC to read soon, but having to wait just a few days is going to be extremely painful. I'll take something....on the rocks. ASAP. kthxbye.
Oh! And I know what #TEAM I'm on....and I can't wait to see what Kandi does with the next book!! 5 Stars easily, hands down....all the way.
"Cameron was her husband. I was the boy who used to live next door."
~BEE
PURCHASE BOOK 1: AMAZON
~MEET KANDI STEINER~
Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.
Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).
When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.
Join her group Kandiland HERE.
~CONNECT WITH KANDI~
You’re killing me.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA!! Well, Kandi killed me, sooo......
DeleteOh my gosh you're killing me Bee! I can't wait to read this!
ReplyDeleteNow if I only had book 2.....
Delete