The Path To Us is live!
Small town romance author Jennifer Van Wyk brings an angsty, emotional love story that’s sure to tug at your heart strings.
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Blurb
Our story started the day I saved her from a playground bully when we were only four years old.
She thought I was her hero, but I was just Beau Aikin, small town boy.
Eventually we became more than classmates. We were best friends.
When tragedy strikes, I don’t think twice about stepping in to help.
To once again be Addy’s hero.
Not just hers, her five-year-old daughter’s, too.
Only now, I want her. More than anything.
Friendship isn’t enough anymore.
But she’s off limits for so many reasons.
Love.
Lust.
Guilt.
It all haunts me and it feels like everything is against us.
But I’ll do anything to make her mine.
This is our story of the path to us.
Review
4.5 stars
This is such a gorgeous read! A sweet and emotional small-town, friends-to-lovers story with a bit of a twist and a whole lot of heart. I laughed and a I cried, and I felt everything with these characters, and I loved their story.
Beau and Addy met as children and throughout their childhood they became the best of friends. As a teenager, Addy fell in love with Beau, but was too shy to do anything about it. Beau didn’t realise his feelings for his best friend until years later when it was way too late, and their situation had become horribly complicated – she became pregnant after a drunken and emotional night spent with Beau’s younger brother. Eek! Years later, and the two of them are still the best of friends, but then tragedy rocks both of their worlds. Beau and Addy will need to lean on each other like never before, while being there for Addy’s five year old daughter, Zoey.
Their new situation brings a change to their dynamic, with all of their feelings coming to the surface. But with so much history and complicating factors, there is so much standing in their way. Especially with their fears that taking a chance could mean losing it all.
She was his. Never mine. Not in that way. I may have loved her first, but in the end, she was and always would be my brother’s.
This is such a gorgeous story! It’s heartbreaking in places, and so damn emotional. I was in tears at one point, only to be grinning hugely a few pages later. And it’s so realistic! Beau and Addy are real, their reactions and their feelings are real, and I could understand and empathise with everything that they were going through.
I can’t think of a moment in my life that I haven’t wanted her. Sure, I was an idiot for a lot of years but now my eyes are wide open and I’m not sure I can settle for anything less than all of her.
Their relationship is just wonderful. True best friends, they are loving and supportive with each other, but they also tease and joke, and there’s a great sense of fun between them. Add in little Zoey, who is such a big part of their lives and who brings so much to the story, and the family dynamic is fantastic!
There’s this sense of so much just simmering below the surface with these two, and the slow burn as the book builds up to the inevitable is full of anticipation as the reader (and seemingly everybody in town) waits for these two best friends to finally act on their all-too-obvious love for each other.
“It might seem like we’re skipping steps here, but we aren’t. Not really. Because the way I feel for you isn’t new or out of nowhere. It’s been there all along. I was just too scared to do something about it. If you didn’t feel the same way, or if it didn’t work out… fuck, Addy. I can’t lose you.”
“I know what you mean.”
He nods. “But I can’t put those feelings aside any longer. You and me? Nothing else makes sense to me like being with you does.”
It’s sweet, funny and emotional, and once they go there, holy hell it’s freaking hot! And the way it all plays out is gorgeous – functional and angst-free, just how I love my romance to be.
“What have I gotten myself into?”
“A lifetime.”
She sucks in a breath and tears instantly flood her eyes.
“You like that.”
Her hair slips over her shoulders when she shakes her head. “No. I love that.”
“Not as much as I do.”
Jennifer Van Wyk writes wonderful small-town-romance, and she’s delivered a beautiful story for Beau and Addy. I was right there with them from start to finish and I felt it all. Absolutely gorgeous.
4.5 stars!
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
Zoey gets tired of the hug-fest long before I do and not so subtly demands to be set down and runs to play with Macaroni. Before Addy can leave me also, I hug her alone, loving the feel of her softness in my arms. “I got something I want to talk to you about after Squirt goes to sleep.”
She looks up at me, chin resting on my chest. “Good stuff or bad stuff?”
“Good.”
“Well, I have something I want to talk to you about, too, so it works out.”
“Good stuff or bad stuff?” I ask, repeating her question.
“Good. I think.”
There’s heat in her eyes and with the way she’s touching my arms, as if she can’t not touch me, and hope flares in my chest that maybe she’s on the same path as I am.
“Addy…” I lean my head down so our foreheads are resting against one another and breathe her in. She always smells so good. A mixture of the flowers she’s been arranging all day and her own unique sweetness. I bet she’s sweet everywhere. My mouth waters just thinking about it. She shudders under my touch, almost like she knows what I’m thinking. “Damn, I hope your good stuff is the same as mine.”
She nods her head against me and I give her waist a squeeze. She stumbles just enough that it gets her closer to me. Closer isn’t enough. The need to become one with her is almost more than I can bear. Addy’s everything I ever wanted and for the first time in my life, I feel like she’s within reach. Like maybe it’s finally our time.
One hand travels slowly up my arm and over my shoulder until it settles against my neck. Her thumb slides over my chin, barely grazing the edge of my mouth. Her eyes watch her own movement until slowly they rise, connecting with me.
“Beau.” I breathe in my name from her lips and it fills me with so much need and want. It’s caveman-like. I understand why stories are told of them throwing their women over their shoulders and tossing them into a cave so they can have their wicked way with them.
Macaroni barks and scratches at the door, breaking the moment. We jump apart like we were just caught doing something wrong but I can’t allow the thought to settle in. Nothing about being with Addy is wrong and I finally get that.
I just hope she does, too.
About the Author
From the Ground Up was Jennifer’s first published novel and now that she was bitten by the writing bug, has no intention of ever stopping. Jennifer makes her home in small town Iowa with her high school sweetheart, three beautiful, hilarious and amazing kids, one crazy Jack Russell terrier. This is where her love for all things reading, baking, and cooking happen. Jennifer’s family enjoys camping, boating, and spending time outside as much as possible. You’ll be her best friend if you can make her laugh and follow up with asking her what to read next. When she’s not writing, you can find her cheering the loudest at her kids’ sporting events (read as: embarrassing them), sipping coffee or iced tea out of a mason jar with her Kindle in her lap or binging on Netflix.
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