One night brings them together. Another night tears them apart.
Grace Miles misses her easy friendship with Asher, but growing up means growing apart. And really, how could he fall for her when they spent their childhood getting muddy in the creek and splitting sticks of gum? But this summer, something feels different. If Grace didn’t know better, she’d think Asher was flirting with her. Those dark eyes, hard body, and wicked smile make her insides swirl and her heart dare to hope for things she’s convinced herself she’ll never have.
Falling for your best friend shouldn’t be complicated, but for Asher Bailey, loving Grace is anything but simple. The road to romance isn’t smooth thanks to his pack of wild brothers who are protective of the girl next door, a take-no-sass grandmother, a small town where gossip is a spectator sport, and a feud that spans generations. But Asher realizes his feelings are too big to ignore.
Loving her isn’t the risk. Losing her would be.
And one night, one kiss, changes everything. Finally admitting their feelings is the beginning of their happily ever after. Until their fairy tale love story is tragically interrupted, and neither of them will ever be the same
How long would you wait for the love of your life?
The Asher Bailey who comes home to his quirky small town isn’t the same man who put a ring on Grace’s finger. He’s bigger, harder, haunted. Forced to give up Grace and everything else that was good in his life for a prison sentence he barely survived.
Now that he’s home, he finds himself aggressively welcomed by his brothers and gleefully gossiped about by his neighbors. He’d counted on both. But he never expected to see Grace still wearing his ring.
Grace’s fairy tale didn’t end. It was interrupted. She’s spent the last seven years living her life while waiting for one man. Now that he’s back, she’s got her work cut out for her. He’s scarred and angry, and stubbornly convinced they can’t be together. She’s more than happy to educate him otherwise.
Every beer, every prank, every kiss brings him closer to where he’s always belonged. In her life. In her arms. In her heart. Asher fears the darkness inside him can’t be contained. But Grace won’t give up on him without a fight.
Author’s note: A brooding, wounded hero and the woman who won’t give up on him. A pack of unruly, prank-loving brothers. A wild neighborhood rumor mill. Spectacular BFF banter. This is a love story about soulmates that delivers the heat and all the feels.
My Review
I’m not gonna lie. This book had been on my TBR list for a while. Since reading the Miles family books, I’ve wanted to read this about Grace. This book is a duet in the series concluding in Fighting for Us. This book does have a mature content trigger warning.
Asher begins this story at eleven years old. His childhood antics with his best friend and the girl next door, Grace, show how much he cares. Then we jump forward to adulthood, but still his POV. I love how this angsty take goes from friends to lovers. Asher is intense. It gets steamy, too.
This book ends heart-wrenching, but I can’t wait to read the rest of Asher and Grace’s story. I got some of the feelings with this story, but not all.
This is a continuation of Asher and Grace’s duet story. Will Grace finally get her happily ever after?
Asher is a different man than he was in the last book. The prison was brutal on him. He barely survived. Asher gets a surprise and will see how he adjusts to home again.
This story is a little more angsty, not your typical contemporary romance. Asher is a broken man struggling to cope with his new reality. Grace is patient and kind, and I love how selfless attitude. The author throws in a little suspense, and I wonder where it will bring these characters.
The books get steamy as they finally reconnect, but this has returned to square one. The book is a roller coaster as they fight their demons and brokenness. Asher is a mess, but his hard life has to get worse before it gets better. Grace is emotionally a warrior, and even though we get teary-eyed moments, this isn’t the heartfelt romance you may be expecting. This romance is hard work, broken people, and difficult choices.
The story ends better than it started, but getting there is a ride. Asher and Grace’s story about work, love, and fighting your demons is touching. Yes, this book gave me some feelings. I did expect more, but at least I got anger, tears, and laughs. Overall, I enjoyed this read.
If you want to read Protecting You and Fighting for Us by Claire Kingsley, you can find both books on Amazon. As an Amazon Assocaite, I earn on qualifying purchases. Both of these books are a part of The Bailey Brothers Series.
If you like these books, you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: Friends to Lovers, Small Town, and Family.
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