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Lost & Found #3
Finders Keepers
There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.
His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.
Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?
This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?
Love.
His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.
Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?
This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?
Love.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2013
258 people are currently reading
6579 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Williams
52 books9,593 followersNicole is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author who got her humble start dictating books to her parents at the age of three and her big break nearly three decades later when she signed her first publishing deal. She grew up an avid reader and writer who majored in Economics because a Creative Writing degree was lofty and impractical, not to mention a pipe dream. Irony, you wily fiend.
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
When she isn’t embroiled in a book, she spends her time playing wife and mom to her two favorite people in the world, and referee to their three rescue pets/wildlings. Nicole lives in the Evergreen State on the quieter side, ideal for an admitted recluse who enjoys the diversity of outdoor endeavors the Great Northwest offers.
Nicole loves hearing from her readers. You can connect with her on:
Facebook: Author Nicole Williams
Instagram: author_nicole_williams
Twitter: nwilliamsbooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 516 reviews
September 15, 2013
“Don’t love me. You get to choose who you love, so please… please don’t waste it on me.”
If you had asked me a few months ago who my all-time favourite cowboy was, I would have said “Jesse Walker” in a heartbeat. That boy was the perfect combination of sweet and sexy, cheerful but profound, and this coupled with his innate ability to love others fiercely and selflessly, made him one of my favourite book boyfriends ever. But even while I was panting after Jesse, another cowboy caught my attention – a darker, more troubled one, whose smart mouth and careless attitude were clearly masking a bleeding heart under his tough façade. That cowboy was Jesse Walker’s best friend and this is finally his book.
“It didn’t matter what age I was or how much I thought I loved the woman. Marriage, rings, and vows were not created with people like me in mind.”
Garth Black has lived the kind of loveless childhood nightmares are made of. Having been neglected and physically abused by his only parent since he was born, never shown an ounce of affection or affirmation in his life, he has grown into a jaded young man who believes himself to be a bad seed unworthy of being loved. He is sarcastic, short-tempered and inherently self-destructive, making it very difficult for others to care for him or enjoy being around him. Except for his two best and only friends in the world who have always seen past his reckless pretences, never cared about his upbringing or his family’s lack of social standing, and who also happen to be the only two people that Garth has ever cared for. And he’s also secretly loved one of them since he was five years old.
“My childhood friend, my adolescent secret obsession, my biggest mistake.”
But as deep as his feelings are for his friend, Garth has never admitted this to himself or to her. He succumbed to his feelings for her only once in his life, one regretful drunken night of lowered inhibitions and frenzied passion, which cost him both his best friends for a long time after that.
“Why don’t you stop pretending to be the hero and own what you really are? The villain. Go villainize someone else’s life. You couldn’t possibly do anymore to mine.”
This book starts with a heartbreaking event in Garth’s life, leaving him homeless and alone in the world, and in the unexpected care of the very woman he won’t allow himself to love. But she is not only the only woman he dreams of, she is his true match, equally quick-tempered and stubborn, always seeing through his impassive acts and this time around determined to never allow him to push her away again. Never having had anyone concerned about his wellbeing before, or anyone who cared for him enough to put his happiness first, Garth is in unfamiliar territory when his best friend starts slowly dismantling his defences. Her persistent affection and faith in him are his undoing, and soon she makes him believe that they might have a chance at happiness after all. She shows him a different way of perceiving the world around him, one that is not all-consumingly negative and destructive, giving him hope that a man like him could love and be loved by a woman like her.
“It doesn’t have to be Garth Black against the whole world…”
She makes him question everything his dysfunctional childhood has taught him, his warped sense of right and wrong, his rejection of all social norms and behaviours, and for the first time in his life, Garth is happy. But a lifetime of self-doubt and self-hatred is hard to ignore when the world is determined to push you back down, and for Garth it is easier to believe that he will always be unworthy of his beloved’s love than that he finally deserves someone like her in his life. Or that he has anything in him to offer to her.
“How could I be what was best for her when I didn’t even know what was best for myself? How could I love her the way she deserved to be loved when my parents hadn’t shown me an ounce of it?”
A tale of learning to fight for what you want most in life and breaking a cycle of self-destruction and hatred of the world around you, this is a book that broke me, gutted me, made me mama bear and cowboy groupie all rolled into one. Garth’s self-doubting tendencies arising from a continuous lack of parental encouragement in his life made me so very protective of him and incredibly invested in his happiness. His leading lady was a force to be reckoned with, her strength of character and loving determination made me smile at their every interaction, not to mention swoon at the palpable chemistry between them. Without any explicit level of detail, Ms Williams manages to make our hearts race from mere acts of hand-holding or spooning in bed. I was having palpitations from sheer kissing scenes! Somehow, the level of emotion between these characters is more than enough to make us feel satisfied on all fronts, dreamy-eyed from beginning to end. I loved this book something fierce, and I knew, just KNEW this smartass cowboy would end up stealing my heart.
“I wasn’t the guy who fell in love with you this past winter… I was the boy who fell in love with you that day on the school bus when we were five. And I’m the man that always will.”
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March 7, 2015FREEBIE - > http://amzn.to/1HcbZ1Q
There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.
His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.
Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?
This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?
Love.
I want to read this one more than book 2, lol
There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.
His life has been a constant carousel of tragedy and disappointment, including his love life. Of course, applying the term “love” to Garth’s conquests is a gross misuse of the word. Some people were made to give and accept love, and others weren’t. Garth Black redefines the “others” category. He’s made a vow that the day he meets a woman who could sucker him into falling in love will be the day he runs away.
Garth’s plan has one flaw. What happens when he’s already fallen hard for a girl before the warning signs and red flags go up? What happens when the love he’s avoided his entire life brings him to his knees? What happens when Garth Black lets the dirtiest four letter word he’s ever known into his dark, lonely life?
This cowboy’s about to find out he can control some things, and he can’t control others. Number one on the what he can’t control list?
Love.
I want to read this one more than book 2, lol
June 28, 2024
4 stars
This book has been on my audible for the longest time and I’m so glad I finally got to it. I forgot all about Garth Black, but once I started reading I immediately remembered him. It was great! Loved being with these characters again.
This book has been on my audible for the longest time and I’m so glad I finally got to it. I forgot all about Garth Black, but once I started reading I immediately remembered him. It was great! Loved being with these characters again.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Zachary Webber
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 8h 17m
November 15, 2013
There’s complicated. And there’s Rowen Sterling.
There’s optimistic. And there’s Jesse Walker.
There’s tortured. And there’s Garth Black.
GARTH'S BOOK!!
Nicole Williams,
September 28, 2013
****4.5 Cowboy Lovin' Stars****
"I didn't fight back. I didn't protect myself. Not because I incapable of doing it, but because taking a good beating every now and again did me good. Some people prayed, some did a cleansing, some took a vacation. I did a solid beating. It reminded me I wasn't invincible and somehow that reminder made me stronger."
In the first two books of the Lost and Found series, we were first introduced to Jesse Walker- the all around loving, golden boy, charming, sweet, and rugged cowboy. Jesse instantly became my favorite cowboy book boyfriend but another cowboy caught my attention and stole my heart... Garth Black, Jesse's best friend. Behind the troubled, dark, brooding, smart mouth tough facade of Garth Black lies a tortured soul and finally we get to learn his story in Finders Keepers.
Garth Black lived a tough childhood having been neglected and physically abused by his father. Garth has never experienced the love and attention from his father while growing up causing him to believe that he is unworthy of love. This broken man has been trained all his life that he is nothing, trash, and worthless. Garth is egotistical, foul mouthed, sarcastic, unfiltered, and brooding but he hides and masks his pain through humor and sarcasm. He fills his emptiness with alcohol, women, ranch work and bull-riding. He was a broken soul, but with a beautiful heart under his tough armor. Garth has three best friends (Jesse, Rowan and Josie) whom he is fiercely protective and loyal to. Although he has friends who cares and loves him, Garth feels unworthy of their love and attention.
"You're not swimming in glory until you find someone to swim with you. Glory isn't glory if you don't have someone to share it with. It's just pride and bullshit on your own."
This book starts off with a heartbreaking tragedy that leaves Garth homeless and alone in the world. This tragic event profoundly affects him but he has been dealt with a shitty hand in life that he refuses to show how much he really hurts. Despite his “don’t give a shit” attitude, he finds unexpected help from one of his best friend, Josie Gibson. She is the woman of his dreams, the first and only girl that he has ever truly loved. Like Garth, Josie was his true match in that they were both equally stubborn and fiercely protective and loyal to their friends. They are so much alike in personality and can banter back and forth with each other. Josie made sure Garth had a roof over his head and food in his stomach. She showed him the attention, love and care that was missing throughout his life. Her never-ending affection and faith in him was his undoing, and soon Garth is shown a glimmer of what true happiness and love is. She breaks down his defenses and the exterior walls surrounding his heart and shows him that he is indeed worthy to be loved and to love.
I really loved Josie and the way she cares about Garth. She is so strong willed, independent, fearless, spirited, caring and loyal. She knows Garth has issues and can deal with them.This is what makes her so perfect for him because no other woman would be able to handle Garth or tell him how it is. She can see through the facade that he puts on for everyone to see.
"She taught me how to love. She taught me who I wanted to love. Even though I failed at it, stumbled over my own two feet so many times I was face-planting more than I was walking, she showed me the perseverance of love."
"The person you love. The person who loves you. That's who I am."
I really enjoyed Finders Keepers because I love that we can see the transformation of Garth Black in becoming a better man. Layers of pain, humiliation, and unworthiness of love begins to be peeled off through the help of Josie, Jesse and Rowan. His willingness to change, go slow, and attempt romance was endearing and melted my heart. He could be so sweet and tender. I loved how Josie stood beside him and encouraged him to be the man she knew he could be.
Finders Keepers
July 19, 2014
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
This book will tug at your heart strings and put you on an emotional rollercoaster. I loved every second of the ride. It’s no secret this is one of my favorite series and this book did not disappoint. I loved getting to know Garth Black and learning more about the cowboy shrouded in mystery.
I actually didn’t realize this story would be told from Garth’s perspective. I mean, I know it’s his book, but so many times the book is from the female protagonist’s point of view, so I was still surprised when it was his POV. Thank you Nicole for breaking the rules and creating a wonderful story. I don’t even know where to begin with Garth. He has so many layers and he hides so much with his tough exterior. He feels he doesn’t deserve love or friendship or anything. He basically thinks he is no good so he does his best to convince the world of the same. In reality, Garth is a great person with a lot of demons that he needs to face. Garth is a lot like the Rowen we first met in Lost and Found.
Then we have the heroine and I’m not going to reveal who it is, since the summary keeps it a secret. However, if you are a fan of the series you can probably guess who it is. What I will say is that she is great. She is strong and feisty and speaks her mind. She is determined and goes for what she wants. She will also put herself in harm’s way for those she loves.
Jesse and Rowen fans, do not fear, these two make an appearance and they make an appearance in the best possible way! I loved seeing my Jesse again. I also enjoyed seeing Garth’s inner monologue concerning his and Rowen’s banter.
The romance in this story was so incredibly sweet. You’ll probably be surprised, since this is Garth, but this book is definitely the least steamy of them all. It is much sweeter and more about the building of a relationship. I loved that about this story. It’s what New Adult is all about. It’s about Garth growing up and finding himself and finding what he wants and who he wants to spend his life with. It is also about him learning that he deserves so much more than he thinks he does.
All in all, Finders Keepers was a great story. I am so glad I was able to experience Garth’s story because he seriously needed his own book. What with his giant ego and all…. Fans of this series, you will not be disappointed. It is sweet and heartwarming and heartbreaking and has sexy cowboys. It doesn’t get much better than this.
This book will tug at your heart strings and put you on an emotional rollercoaster. I loved every second of the ride. It’s no secret this is one of my favorite series and this book did not disappoint. I loved getting to know Garth Black and learning more about the cowboy shrouded in mystery.
I actually didn’t realize this story would be told from Garth’s perspective. I mean, I know it’s his book, but so many times the book is from the female protagonist’s point of view, so I was still surprised when it was his POV. Thank you Nicole for breaking the rules and creating a wonderful story. I don’t even know where to begin with Garth. He has so many layers and he hides so much with his tough exterior. He feels he doesn’t deserve love or friendship or anything. He basically thinks he is no good so he does his best to convince the world of the same. In reality, Garth is a great person with a lot of demons that he needs to face. Garth is a lot like the Rowen we first met in Lost and Found.
Then we have the heroine and I’m not going to reveal who it is, since the summary keeps it a secret. However, if you are a fan of the series you can probably guess who it is. What I will say is that she is great. She is strong and feisty and speaks her mind. She is determined and goes for what she wants. She will also put herself in harm’s way for those she loves.
Jesse and Rowen fans, do not fear, these two make an appearance and they make an appearance in the best possible way! I loved seeing my Jesse again. I also enjoyed seeing Garth’s inner monologue concerning his and Rowen’s banter.
The romance in this story was so incredibly sweet. You’ll probably be surprised, since this is Garth, but this book is definitely the least steamy of them all. It is much sweeter and more about the building of a relationship. I loved that about this story. It’s what New Adult is all about. It’s about Garth growing up and finding himself and finding what he wants and who he wants to spend his life with. It is also about him learning that he deserves so much more than he thinks he does.
All in all, Finders Keepers was a great story. I am so glad I was able to experience Garth’s story because he seriously needed his own book. What with his giant ego and all…. Fans of this series, you will not be disappointed. It is sweet and heartwarming and heartbreaking and has sexy cowboys. It doesn’t get much better than this.
February 8, 2017
Garth Black first charmed me in Lost & Found. He had that great dark persona, a little self-depricating, sardonic, sarcastic, and sexy. I mean, what more could a girl want? Garth was definitely the dark counterbalance to Jesse, who was very much a golden boy. This dark Garth made me giddy, and I was so excited when I found out he was getting his own book. I went into this fully expecting to love Garth's story, and I maybe thought it might surpass Jesse's because let's face it, I'm a sucker for a bad boy. I was totally bummed that this story did not live up to my expectations.
The Garth Black of this book is hardly recognizable! He had a few fleeting moments where he seemed like the guy I loved from the first books but, all in all he was almost an entirely new character. He went from this dark and broody guy to this love-sick guy who was second guessing every move he made.
Josie also seemed to undergo a drastic change but hers was less an overall character change, and more that her feelings old feelings about Garth seemed to totally dissolve. She was really the only other girl from Lost & Found so it was a natural assumption that she would end up being Garth's love interest, however, she has some pretty strong feelings about him in L&F, negative feelings. She speaks out pretty vehemently on the ills of Garth Black. So, it was a bit surprising with how much this changed in Finders Keepers. This perceived flaw aside, I really liked Josie. She was a bad-ass cowgirl. She was totally capable of handling her own shit and she seemed to handle the cowboys in her life pretty well too.
The time jumps in this book were also bothersome. They just seemed random, all the sudden a month had gone by and then three weeks had passed, then three months, it made it hard to keep the timeline straight.
Ultimately I felt like the Josie and Garth we met in Lost & Found were so different from the Josie and Garth in this book. Their overarching personalities and story-lines seemed disjointed. I almost wish I could have read this as if it was it's own separate entity, that I had never met the characters before.
July 16, 2014
BR with Nancy❤️the❤️Bookaholic
This one was my favorite out of the series. Yes, I said it. It sounds crazy even as I'm saying it! Cause Jesse was awesome! But there's just something about a brooding, misunderstood bad boy. ;-)
Garth Black
When I first met Garth in Lost and Found, I can say I wasn't a huge fan. But I knew behind the asshole was an explanation, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and waited it out. And boy, am I glad I did.
Garth and Josie turned out to be a very good match. She knew just how to challenge and knew just how to accept him.
"What was that for?" "It looked like you needed it."
Garth always swore that the day he fell for a girl, he would run far away. Little did he know, he already fell years ago.
I loved his self discovery. He finally realized that not only can he love, but he can be loved.
"Who we choose to love, and who chooses to love us has nothing to do with being deserving. It has to do with who you simply have to love and who simply has to love you."
This one was my favorite out of the series. Yes, I said it. It sounds crazy even as I'm saying it! Cause Jesse was awesome! But there's just something about a brooding, misunderstood bad boy. ;-)
Garth Black
When I first met Garth in Lost and Found, I can say I wasn't a huge fan. But I knew behind the asshole was an explanation, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt and waited it out. And boy, am I glad I did.
Garth and Josie turned out to be a very good match. She knew just how to challenge and knew just how to accept him.
"What was that for?" "It looked like you needed it."
Garth always swore that the day he fell for a girl, he would run far away. Little did he know, he already fell years ago.
I loved his self discovery. He finally realized that not only can he love, but he can be loved.
"Who we choose to love, and who chooses to love us has nothing to do with being deserving. It has to do with who you simply have to love and who simply has to love you."
January 3, 2015
Oh what the hell, 5 stars! No official review except this was awesome. I love Garth.
September 14, 2015
I loved this! Lost and Found is a favorite list book for me, and I thought this one was just as good!! I love a good friends to romance book and this didn't disappoint. The whole book is in Garth's perspective which made it even better. In the previous books, Garth was kind of a mystery, and you didn't really understand his motives for certain actions. In this book you see him in a whole new light, by the end of the book I liked him just as much as Jesse.
" I was the boy who fell in love with you that day on the school bus when we were five.
And I'm the man who always will"
I don't want to spoil anything so I'm just going to say this was really sweet. I read the whole thing today, it's just one of those unputdownable books! If you have read Lost and Found this one is a must read:)
" I was the boy who fell in love with you that day on the school bus when we were five.
And I'm the man who always will"
I don't want to spoil anything so I'm just going to say this was really sweet. I read the whole thing today, it's just one of those unputdownable books! If you have read Lost and Found this one is a must read:)
October 30, 2015
4 stars! ****
The dark, dangerous and handsome Garth Black is here. And the book is only from his POV. Yaaay. He was meaner and more sarcastic in his head than he was speaking aloud in the previous books and he's way too awesome. #crushinghard
I'm not sure who's better. Garth or Jesse..
From the two previous books we know that Garth and Josie have a past. A painful, heart-breaking past. Josie cheated on Jesse (Lost and Found) with Garth and since those three were almost inseparable until them, it broke them all apart.
Garth became even more closed off and started to be even more hateful, ironic, sarcastic.. He started to drink whiskey like it's water and bang everything that moved. The only person who's got worse reputation than him is his father.
His past defined him and scarred him. His mother left and he's never heard from her and his father was an alcoholic who beat him and mistreated him on daily basis.
He used to drown in his hatred towards everyone and he he never got attached to anything. Because everything he loved was taken away from him.
He made amends with Jesse in two previous books, but there is still a gaping hole inside of him, that got even bigger when his father died in a fire. That fire destroyed the place where they lived and the only thing he got left is his truck.
That's where Josie finds him when it's too cold for anyone to be outside. She moves him inside of her house to protect him from the cold. But that's not the only reason she did that.
As they spend time together, they start to fall for each other once again (more like they start to re-discover their feelings), but the love they feel might not be enough to save Garth from himself.
It was great to see how Garth changed in this book. He became sweeter and more sensible and more sensitive and more caring. He opened up (eventually) and he proved that he can be the man you'd want your daughter dating instead of the man you want to shoot. But his ego and sense of humor didn't change one bit!
I had a bit of a problem with Josie. I couldn't connect with her and I didn't really like her. That's one of the reasons why I was so happy to find out that the book is only from Garth's POV.
She seemed indecisive, at least in the beginning. She was mooody, had mood swings and I couldn't keep up with her. She was angry. No. She was sad. No. She was aroused. MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
What I liked was that their love begun when they were five years old. It's sweet that they found their way together in the end even though it took them 15 years and cheating and heart break..
Another thing that I liked was that they didn't rush their relationship once it finally started. They took their time to get to know each other again, to build the trust that's been missing for while and to fall deeper in love than ever before.
I didn't like FINDERS KEEPERS as much as I did LOST AND FOUND but it was still really good. Garth is one funny guy with a sick sense of humor.
Not exactly sure what the next book that will concentrate on those two will be about but I'm looking forward to finding out.
For more reviews visit my blog.
The dark, dangerous and handsome Garth Black is here. And the book is only from his POV. Yaaay. He was meaner and more sarcastic in his head than he was speaking aloud in the previous books and he's way too awesome. #crushinghard
I'm not sure who's better. Garth or Jesse..
From the two previous books we know that Garth and Josie have a past. A painful, heart-breaking past. Josie cheated on Jesse (Lost and Found) with Garth and since those three were almost inseparable until them, it broke them all apart.
Garth became even more closed off and started to be even more hateful, ironic, sarcastic.. He started to drink whiskey like it's water and bang everything that moved. The only person who's got worse reputation than him is his father.
"Because you deserve better than my best. You deserve the man I can and should be. Not the one everyone else knows.
His past defined him and scarred him. His mother left and he's never heard from her and his father was an alcoholic who beat him and mistreated him on daily basis.
He used to drown in his hatred towards everyone and he he never got attached to anything. Because everything he loved was taken away from him.
He made amends with Jesse in two previous books, but there is still a gaping hole inside of him, that got even bigger when his father died in a fire. That fire destroyed the place where they lived and the only thing he got left is his truck.
That's where Josie finds him when it's too cold for anyone to be outside. She moves him inside of her house to protect him from the cold. But that's not the only reason she did that.
As they spend time together, they start to fall for each other once again (more like they start to re-discover their feelings), but the love they feel might not be enough to save Garth from himself.
"I'll take real over a dream any day."
"With you, Joze, they're the same thing."
It was great to see how Garth changed in this book. He became sweeter and more sensible and more sensitive and more caring. He opened up (eventually) and he proved that he can be the man you'd want your daughter dating instead of the man you want to shoot. But his ego and sense of humor didn't change one bit!
I'd pretty much become my biggest nightmare. I was rougher version of Jesse Walker. But a better looking one. A far better looking one.
I had a bit of a problem with Josie. I couldn't connect with her and I didn't really like her. That's one of the reasons why I was so happy to find out that the book is only from Garth's POV.
She seemed indecisive, at least in the beginning. She was mooody, had mood swings and I couldn't keep up with her. She was angry. No. She was sad. No. She was aroused. MAKE UP YOUR MIND.
What I liked was that their love begun when they were five years old. It's sweet that they found their way together in the end even though it took them 15 years and cheating and heart break..
Another thing that I liked was that they didn't rush their relationship once it finally started. They took their time to get to know each other again, to build the trust that's been missing for while and to fall deeper in love than ever before.
I didn't like FINDERS KEEPERS as much as I did LOST AND FOUND but it was still really good. Garth is one funny guy with a sick sense of humor.
Not exactly sure what the next book that will concentrate on those two will be about but I'm looking forward to finding out.
Who we choose to love, and who chooses to love us has nothing to do with being deserving or undeserving. It has to do with who you simply have to love and who simply has to love you.
For more reviews visit my blog.
November 12, 2013
Garth F*cking Black proved himself once again in Near and Far and I can't wait to read his own story.
Despite the filthy words he says but damn the man has depth no matter how unbelievable it is.
---------------------------------------------------------------
“No one messes with my best friend.”
“Best friend, eh?”
“You’re my only friend, Jess. You win the best title by default.”
Can't wait for Garth's journey, will it be Josie? I love that girl as well I believe they should get back together...
Despite the filthy words he says but damn the man has depth no matter how unbelievable it is.
---------------------------------------------------------------
“No one messes with my best friend.”
“Best friend, eh?”
“You’re my only friend, Jess. You win the best title by default.”
Can't wait for Garth's journey, will it be Josie? I love that girl as well I believe they should get back together...
August 19, 2015
Whew! 4 worried my ass off for Josie and Garth stars. This tragic and sweet love story had me tied up in knots! Tragic, because Garth and Josie had so many obstacles in their way, I wasn't sure HEA was even possible. Sweet, because when facing difficulty their love survived. That made me happy! ;)
I enjoyed this story and hope you will as well.
I enjoyed this story and hope you will as well.
September 14, 2013
Garth Black has officially moved into the top spot for my number one book boyfriend. At the start of Nicole Williams’ Lost & Found series, Garth earned villain status via his encounters with the two lead protagonists, although by book two, Near & Far, a caring heart was revealed to be beneath his bad boy womanizer persona. The transformation that his character goes through is truly amazing, especially in his own book, Finders Keepers (Lost & Found #3), in which readers are allowed to discover a side of Garth never before revealed. Reading the first two books in the series allowed me to better appreciate the extent of his character’s redemption.
After the emotional roller coaster that was Jesse and Rowen’s relationship, I was pleasantly surprised by the relative lack of drama surrounding Garth and his love interest, Josie. That’s not to say that Finders Keepers won’t tug on your heartstrings, although the overall tone of Garth’s story is much more laid back, which is better suited to his character. I never would’ve thought that behind Garth’s smug façade was a sweet, romantic and self-deprecating individual. Though glimpses of his vulnerability are seen in the previous book, Finders Keepers conveys the extent of all the issues weighing down Garth’s conscience.
The way Garth views his lot in life is beyond heartbreaking because of the fact that he resigned himself to being unhappy. I always suspected that he and Josie shared a deeper connection than their previous interactions suggested, but I loved getting to delve deeper into their attraction to each other. My heart melted while reading about Garth’s true feelings toward Josie – feelings which he believes to be unrequited. Each admission that he is undeserving of love is devastating, but I love that Josie is so adamant about remaining his friend despite their shaky history.
Reading the narrative solely through Garth’s point-of-view is especially riveting because of the unexpected sentimentality revealed via his innermost desires. Every word that came out of Garth’s mouth and every thought that originated in his mind made me fall a little bit more in love with him. If there was ever a fictional character that I could wish to life, it would definitely be Garth. Though he may have been emotionally guarded in the previous two books, his soul is bared in Finders Keepers, making his character all the more likable. While I am sad to see this series end (unless there’s another book I don’t know about), I believe this book is the perfect conclusion, bringing together all of the storylines featuring beloved protagonists from all three installments of the Lost & Found series.
After the emotional roller coaster that was Jesse and Rowen’s relationship, I was pleasantly surprised by the relative lack of drama surrounding Garth and his love interest, Josie. That’s not to say that Finders Keepers won’t tug on your heartstrings, although the overall tone of Garth’s story is much more laid back, which is better suited to his character. I never would’ve thought that behind Garth’s smug façade was a sweet, romantic and self-deprecating individual. Though glimpses of his vulnerability are seen in the previous book, Finders Keepers conveys the extent of all the issues weighing down Garth’s conscience.
The way Garth views his lot in life is beyond heartbreaking because of the fact that he resigned himself to being unhappy. I always suspected that he and Josie shared a deeper connection than their previous interactions suggested, but I loved getting to delve deeper into their attraction to each other. My heart melted while reading about Garth’s true feelings toward Josie – feelings which he believes to be unrequited. Each admission that he is undeserving of love is devastating, but I love that Josie is so adamant about remaining his friend despite their shaky history.
Reading the narrative solely through Garth’s point-of-view is especially riveting because of the unexpected sentimentality revealed via his innermost desires. Every word that came out of Garth’s mouth and every thought that originated in his mind made me fall a little bit more in love with him. If there was ever a fictional character that I could wish to life, it would definitely be Garth. Though he may have been emotionally guarded in the previous two books, his soul is bared in Finders Keepers, making his character all the more likable. While I am sad to see this series end (unless there’s another book I don’t know about), I believe this book is the perfect conclusion, bringing together all of the storylines featuring beloved protagonists from all three installments of the Lost & Found series.
September 18, 2013
This seemed to be more of a "Self Discovery" book for Garth. We took a trip in his life and head in regards to his messed up life and how he was treated and sees himself through his eyes and some others. No matter that he has secretly been in love with Josie for a long time, he denies this and can barely accept this fact. Even when he does, he doesn't feel like her deserves her and he doesn't want to "infect" her with the likes of himself.
Josie on the other hand has been in love with Garth for a very long time....even if it took a bit to realize it, even when she was with Jesse. No more denial for her! She wants to make a go at it with Garth, but can they make it work? Will he give them a chance? Or will he play the martyr and push her away?
I really missed the "love connection" that I had hoped to see play out for Garth and Josie. I had high hopes it would be a romance, the likes of Jesse and Rowen from book one. I was a bit disappointed. At times this book was a bit depressing. However, there was a short time span where Josie and Garth shared something good and sweet between them. And of course the ending all worked out as it should. Although, I felt like Josie did something stupid in the last chapter that also made no sense, seeing as to how things played out with this person earlier in the book towards Garth.
On another note, I was glad to see Garth finally get out from under his fathers fists. Although, he took a few bad beatings from the jerkface Colt as well as Colt's brothers. Otherwise, he found ways to punish himself in other fights. Between Josie and bull riding, that gave him his self courage and the ability to feel like he was some one and gaining self confidence.
Over all, it was an alright story. It lacked a lot in the story line for me and the epilogue was too short and not enough info for me. I would have loved to see more story line and love story for Garth and Josie.
Josie on the other hand has been in love with Garth for a very long time....even if it took a bit to realize it, even when she was with Jesse. No more denial for her! She wants to make a go at it with Garth, but can they make it work? Will he give them a chance? Or will he play the martyr and push her away?
I really missed the "love connection" that I had hoped to see play out for Garth and Josie. I had high hopes it would be a romance, the likes of Jesse and Rowen from book one. I was a bit disappointed. At times this book was a bit depressing. However, there was a short time span where Josie and Garth shared something good and sweet between them. And of course the ending all worked out as it should. Although, I felt like Josie did something stupid in the last chapter that also made no sense, seeing as to how things played out with this person earlier in the book towards Garth.
On another note, I was glad to see Garth finally get out from under his fathers fists. Although, he took a few bad beatings from the jerkface Colt as well as Colt's brothers. Otherwise, he found ways to punish himself in other fights. Between Josie and bull riding, that gave him his self courage and the ability to feel like he was some one and gaining self confidence.
Over all, it was an alright story. It lacked a lot in the story line for me and the epilogue was too short and not enough info for me. I would have loved to see more story line and love story for Garth and Josie.
July 30, 2014
I can not wait! I love this series:D Garth is so amazingly bad boyish with such a great heart. With a totally messed up upbringing. As I was reading the last book I kept thinking I want Garth's story it will be amazing! And yay Nicole read my mind and wrote it hahahah! SOOOOOOOO excited for his story, can it be Sep 16th today PLEASE!!
This one does not disappoint. My heart was broke time and time again for little boy Garth as well as the man Garth. When life was handing out rainbows and fairy tales Garth black got the piece of coal that was already burnt and a clinker. Absolutely unbelievable!
more review to come.
This one does not disappoint. My heart was broke time and time again for little boy Garth as well as the man Garth. When life was handing out rainbows and fairy tales Garth black got the piece of coal that was already burnt and a clinker. Absolutely unbelievable!
more review to come.
October 19, 2014
BR with Linda ~ Sassy, Classy && a Little Bit of Nasty
~~4.5 Garth Black HEARTS~~
I'm really glad Garth got his own book. I've always felt like he was misunderstood. He had a drunk for a father that abused him. The town people labeled him as the bad boy that everybody should stay away from. He had many obstacles to overcome in this book. One big one being the demons within him. I'm glad he at least had Jesse and Josie that he could really call true friends. This was a really good series. One that has changed my outlook on cowboys. :)
~~4.5 Garth Black HEARTS~~
I'm really glad Garth got his own book. I've always felt like he was misunderstood. He had a drunk for a father that abused him. The town people labeled him as the bad boy that everybody should stay away from. He had many obstacles to overcome in this book. One big one being the demons within him. I'm glad he at least had Jesse and Josie that he could really call true friends. This was a really good series. One that has changed my outlook on cowboys. :)
September 21, 2013
"Don't love me. You get to chose who you love, so please don't waste it on me."
Garth Black. Another tortured soul. He has never received any love that he was able to comprehend, but the love he gives was always going to be profound.
“I’m not asking you to trust me with your life or your heart or love yet. I am asking you for a chance to prove myself worthy of earning those things.”
Josie and Garth had a bumpy road, but in the end they found their way to each other. Its like he strayed for a while, he played the field but he always knew where he would or wanted to end up. And that was with Josie.
“People like you and me, kids who grew up fighting for every single ounce of love that came our way…When we find that person we want to love, we give them a pure and boundless form of it because we know what it’s like to be denied it. We know the opposite of love so well, we go a full one-eighty when we find that special someone.”
Garth Black broke my heart. He had so much love to give but because of the way he felt about himself and what he deserved, his warped ideas nearly ruined him. And Josie. And the love they had for each other.
“I always knew you’d be one of those people who’d charge into a burning building to save a person. I always knew you were a superhero in hiding.”
He was a Hero not a Villain no matter what anyone says. Not because he was perfect but because underneath all the darkness and badass'ness, there was something good and something special there. Something that even the best people dont have. And thats a good heart. A loving and protecting heart which he gave Josie from when they were both five years old.
"The person that you love. The person who loves you. That's who I am. The person who will love you every second of every day until our days run out."
Josie and Garth were inveitable. Its one of those things which you can foresee but you dont know which way its going to go but you know what the end will be. Because in the end, they would always find their way to each other.
"Who we choose to love, and who chooses to love us has nothing to do with being deserving or undeserving. It has to do with who you simple have to love and who simply has to love you."
Nicole Williams is one of my favourite authors and once again, she has not dissappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed, cried and everything in between.
"Because you deserve better than my best. You deserve the man I can andshould be. Not the one everyone else knows."
Garth Black. Another tortured soul. He has never received any love that he was able to comprehend, but the love he gives was always going to be profound.
“I’m not asking you to trust me with your life or your heart or love yet. I am asking you for a chance to prove myself worthy of earning those things.”
Josie and Garth had a bumpy road, but in the end they found their way to each other. Its like he strayed for a while, he played the field but he always knew where he would or wanted to end up. And that was with Josie.
“People like you and me, kids who grew up fighting for every single ounce of love that came our way…When we find that person we want to love, we give them a pure and boundless form of it because we know what it’s like to be denied it. We know the opposite of love so well, we go a full one-eighty when we find that special someone.”
Garth Black broke my heart. He had so much love to give but because of the way he felt about himself and what he deserved, his warped ideas nearly ruined him. And Josie. And the love they had for each other.
“I always knew you’d be one of those people who’d charge into a burning building to save a person. I always knew you were a superhero in hiding.”
He was a Hero not a Villain no matter what anyone says. Not because he was perfect but because underneath all the darkness and badass'ness, there was something good and something special there. Something that even the best people dont have. And thats a good heart. A loving and protecting heart which he gave Josie from when they were both five years old.
"The person that you love. The person who loves you. That's who I am. The person who will love you every second of every day until our days run out."
Josie and Garth were inveitable. Its one of those things which you can foresee but you dont know which way its going to go but you know what the end will be. Because in the end, they would always find their way to each other.
"Who we choose to love, and who chooses to love us has nothing to do with being deserving or undeserving. It has to do with who you simple have to love and who simply has to love you."
Nicole Williams is one of my favourite authors and once again, she has not dissappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed, cried and everything in between.
"Because you deserve better than my best. You deserve the man I can andshould be. Not the one everyone else knows."
October 8, 2014
this book!!
I LOVE THIS BOOK
GRATH BLACK
well he was kind of an asshole but inside that hard shell he was the most plushy teddy bear I LOVE HIM, in this book we can see who is really grath black and maybe the only things we pick from the other books was that he had a really dificult family life and that he was kind of a prick but IN THIS one i enjoy it so much i fell in love with him he was so sweet and lovely
and them we have JOSIE GIBSON
I KNEW IT!!! she had been in love with garth since kindergarten and that my darling thats true love
she was amazing in this book such a fresh start knowing that some heroines from nicole book are just annoying she was this fearless get what i want girl and I love it
I LOVE THIS BOOK
GRATH BLACK
well he was kind of an asshole but inside that hard shell he was the most plushy teddy bear I LOVE HIM, in this book we can see who is really grath black and maybe the only things we pick from the other books was that he had a really dificult family life and that he was kind of a prick but IN THIS one i enjoy it so much i fell in love with him he was so sweet and lovely
and them we have JOSIE GIBSON
I KNEW IT!!! she had been in love with garth since kindergarten and that my darling thats true love
she was amazing in this book such a fresh start knowing that some heroines from nicole book are just annoying she was this fearless get what i want girl and I love it
August 1, 2020
Overall rating: 3 stars
Genre: Cowboy Romance
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 7/10
Writing: 8/10
Hero: 8/10
Heroine: 9/10
Humour: 7/10
Steaminess: 6/10
Feels: 6/10
HEA:
Genre: Cowboy Romance
Plot: 7/10
Ending: 7/10
Writing: 8/10
Hero: 8/10
Heroine: 9/10
Humour: 7/10
Steaminess: 6/10
Feels: 6/10
HEA:
October 8, 2019
Finders keepers..
dang I read lost and found quite a while back and I absolutely loved those two books!!
So I was super hyped to read this one.
It wasn’t bad..
but it just pulled itself to long for me.
dang I read lost and found quite a while back and I absolutely loved those two books!!
So I was super hyped to read this one.
It wasn’t bad..
but it just pulled itself to long for me.
July 3, 2022
So... él dice desde un comienzo que no quiere tener pareja y mucho menos estar con ella porque se ella se merece algo mejor. Pero luego tiene THE AUDACITY de pedirle/rogarle estar juntos y al primer problema la deja sola. Me molesta que hayan regresado solo porque él empezó a demostrarle que la queria con la palabras, y no con acciones.
February 7, 2017
No puedo darle las 5 estrellas porque ese final realmente ha sido una puta mierda para UN LIBRO TAN BUENO. Para el caso podría haberse suprimido el epílogo porque era lo mismo.
En cuanto a la historia HE LLORADO COMO UNA DESGRACIADA. Garth es... joder es la cosa más cuqui del mundo. Me dan ganas de abrazarle y achucharle aún sabiendo cuanto lo odia. Y Josie es de esas protagonistas que amas porque es la mejor del mundo!
¿Personajes que he odiado en el libro? LOS PUTOS GILIPOLLAS QUE TIENE POR PADRES JOSIE. Para ser cristianos muy muy religiosos creo que no han entendido bien como se comporta un verdadero cristiano. Su actitud hacia Garth es cuando menos deplorable y para darles dos guantazos.
Me fastidia que la autora dejase sin resolver el hecho de los hermanos Mason, deberían habérselo contado a los padres de Josie... vamos que a este libro le faltan muchas cosas solo lo he amado por la historia de Josie y Garth!
En cuanto a la historia HE LLORADO COMO UNA DESGRACIADA. Garth es... joder es la cosa más cuqui del mundo. Me dan ganas de abrazarle y achucharle aún sabiendo cuanto lo odia. Y Josie es de esas protagonistas que amas porque es la mejor del mundo!
¿Personajes que he odiado en el libro? LOS PUTOS GILIPOLLAS QUE TIENE POR PADRES JOSIE. Para ser cristianos muy muy religiosos creo que no han entendido bien como se comporta un verdadero cristiano. Su actitud hacia Garth es cuando menos deplorable y para darles dos guantazos.
Me fastidia que la autora dejase sin resolver el hecho de los hermanos Mason, deberían habérselo contado a los padres de Josie... vamos que a este libro le faltan muchas cosas solo lo he amado por la historia de Josie y Garth!
April 12, 2015
Oh boy... Garth was a brooding man here, no doubt about it. He has a dark past and, while the girls with a troubled past in the genre tend to retreat into themselves, Garth does the opposite: he lashes out at the world in general, and gives just as good as he gets. But, his life is meaningless, he just survives from day to day.
And then Rowen comes in. She is the opposite of Garth. As the saying goes, opposites attract. What the saying leaves unmentioned, is how much those opposites fight the attraction. In fighting the attraction, Garth screws up several times.
But, towards the end, boy, he makes up for it big time. When he finally admits his feelings and the way he does that tugged at my heartstrings. It was epic. And the very end was so fitting with the story (albeit predictable, but never mind. It's what the story needed).
And then Rowen comes in. She is the opposite of Garth. As the saying goes, opposites attract. What the saying leaves unmentioned, is how much those opposites fight the attraction. In fighting the attraction, Garth screws up several times.
But, towards the end, boy, he makes up for it big time. When he finally admits his feelings and the way he does that tugged at my heartstrings. It was epic. And the very end was so fitting with the story (albeit predictable, but never mind. It's what the story needed).
March 16, 2015
I liked this one overall, but it definitely wasn't my favourite!!
Whilst I enjoyed reading the book, not that much actually happened. It was slow moving and I even got a little bored at times. Plus, the drama at the end of the book was kind of predictable.
I loved Garth's character and I liked Josie too. But the problem I have here is that the book ended in a really great place. Do we need any more?
Why can't we just have this wonderful ending? Do we need another book full of angst and drama? I don't think so...
I love this series, but I'm not sure if I am going to continue any further. I think things have run their course. But we'll see...
Whilst I enjoyed reading the book, not that much actually happened. It was slow moving and I even got a little bored at times. Plus, the drama at the end of the book was kind of predictable.
I loved Garth's character and I liked Josie too. But the problem I have here is that the book ended in a really great place. Do we need any more?
Why can't we just have this wonderful ending? Do we need another book full of angst and drama? I don't think so...
I love this series, but I'm not sure if I am going to continue any further. I think things have run their course. But we'll see...
October 25, 2013
hands down, best in the series
September 19, 2013
Same here - the only reason I didn't give this 5 stars but 4.5 stars was because I hoped for a longer epilogue :)
December 26, 2015
Maldito Garth, como te amo <3
March 9, 2020
From the start of Lost and Found I have been waiting for a deeper glimpse into Garth Black. Nothing had set me up for the discovery. It was obvious that something lay in the shadows for his character and the reader just had to wait patiently for the unveiling. Finders Keepers is just that unveiling. Having learned about Josie over the past several books it was a pleasure to see her character from the individual standpoint rather than the young lady that lost it all. What we discover in Finders Keeper's is that perceptions can be deceiving, and what we think we know may not hold a candle to the reality of what Josie's and Garth's stories really hold in the unknown. This story opened new doors and highlighted more about these beloved characters. Trading places focus clearly shifts from the beloved Rowen and Jesse, but the promise of peeks to their adventure are included promising to add depth to this circle of friends building an even larger and perfect family of imperfection.
~BookWhisperer Reviewer Jax~
~BookWhisperer Reviewer Jax~
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