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Bay Ridge #3
Best of Me
-An Amazon Top 100 Bestseller-
For as long as I can remember, I've been the dark to my sister's light--the awkward loner to her social butterfly. Growing up, she had it all: our parent's unyielding approval, perfect grades, a permanent spot at the popular table, and the attention of the hottest guy ever--Duke Kincaid.
After eighteen years of living in her shadow, I couldn't wait to escape--to finally be my own person. Yet here I am, I'm back in my hometown, once again in Valorie's shadow. Only now, it's eternal.
I had life all planned out: join the force, marry Valorie Parsons, and start a family of our own. I have the job, but the girl and all my dreams died before my very eyes.
At the urging of my friends, I agree to a blind date. Imagine my shock when I arrive and find, Valorie's twin sister, waiting across the table from me. Mallory should be a reminder of all that I've lost, but instead she feels like my redemption . . . like maybe life's giving me a second chance.
But, how can I be enough for her when I've already given her sister the best of me?
For as long as I can remember, I've been the dark to my sister's light--the awkward loner to her social butterfly. Growing up, she had it all: our parent's unyielding approval, perfect grades, a permanent spot at the popular table, and the attention of the hottest guy ever--Duke Kincaid.
After eighteen years of living in her shadow, I couldn't wait to escape--to finally be my own person. Yet here I am, I'm back in my hometown, once again in Valorie's shadow. Only now, it's eternal.
I had life all planned out: join the force, marry Valorie Parsons, and start a family of our own. I have the job, but the girl and all my dreams died before my very eyes.
At the urging of my friends, I agree to a blind date. Imagine my shock when I arrive and find, Valorie's twin sister, waiting across the table from me. Mallory should be a reminder of all that I've lost, but instead she feels like my redemption . . . like maybe life's giving me a second chance.
But, how can I be enough for her when I've already given her sister the best of me?
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2019
1212 people are currently reading
2832 people want to read
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September 18, 2021
sorry in advance. i didn’t think i was that mad until i started writing lol.
this was fucked up💀
i knew i was gonna loathe this but i didn’t think id hate it quite as much as i did.
prefacing this with context: the hero was in a relationship with the heroine’s identical twin sister for eleven years before she died and was planning to propose to her the day of her death.
no i am not making this up lol. totally wish i was.
the constant comparisons between the heroine and her dead twin sister was endless— all of which framed the dead twin in a pretty shitty light. how she didn’t like kinky sex and being tied up. how she wasn’t fully invested emotionally in Duke’s job (whatever the fuck that means). how she used her looks to get what she wanted and was totally aware of how pretty she was (unlike the heroine who has no clue so it makes her 1000x more attractive since she’s unaware).
how everything was effortless with Mallory like it never was with Valorie. how he never had any interest in public sex with Valorie but did with Mallory. how Valorie was passive-aggressive while Mallory was totally agreeable. how Mallory is “lush and curvy” while Valorie was all “straight lines”😭😭 again, whatever the fuck that means.
the portryal of women? i pretend not to see 👁👄👁 the heroines this author writes need to grow some serious backbones too ://// letting a man with a shitty attitude walk all over you just bcos he’s attractive? couldn’t fucking be me.
this bitch THANKS HIM bcos after ghosting her for several days, he calls her late one night and it shows her that she’s his first choice, i– 💀 girl where is the logic? this man has been nasty af to you and likely only wants you bcos you’re the spitting image of the dead love of his life, just with slightly kinkier tendencies which just works in his favour lmao.
i mean, you’re telling me Mallory has just told Duke she is a victim of abuse, Duke is a police officer and to get Mallory’s attention bcos she refuses to talk to him... he chases her down, grabs her and hauls her to his car???????? pushing her inside and forcing her to stay put?????? i– where is the tact. a real nice guy, that one, huh? are you gonna thank him again, Mallory??
and the fact Duke glosses over her abuse was staggering. he’s alway been there for Mallory’s mother after Valorie died, and initially hates Mallory for leaving town the moment high school was over and never coming back, then refusing to see her mother now she’s back in town. he reduces her abuse to her ‘not getting along with her mother’ and that she needs to suck it up. granted he didn’t know yet... but his assumptions made me physically sick, running his mouth on what he thought he knew vs what he actually knew... which was literally nothing.
then when he does find out, it’s never brought up again and it truly baffled me. especially bcos he didn’t apologise for judging her when he knew nothing of her life. only by what her mother and sister vaguely told him— i mean, in Duke’s first chapter, he overhears Mallory’s mother trashing her childhood bedroom and screaming that it should have been her who died🤨 but he continues to spout how Mallory abandoned her family and needed to get over the drama.
i– wow so you’re dumb, too?? who in their right mind would overhear such a thing then discover that she also ripped up Mallory’s birth certificate and noticed how considerably smaller her room was in comparison to Valorie’s, and still assume Mallory is in the wrong and be a monumental dick to her? what? i was truly baffled.
not to mention when they do get together, Mallory ends up being Duke’s dirty little secret. they don’t tell their friends they’re together (honestly, i couldn’t figure out why they kept it a secret since they’re friends constantly encouraged them to own their feelings and pushed them together), so they don’t do activities with their friends together. instead they basically rotate who spends time with them like a work schedule or some shit👀
when Duke reluctantly decides they can both go bowling with their friends (thanks for the permission mate, forgot Mallory was 12 and you were her dad) Mallory says “I beam, ecstatic that he’s actually asking me to join him out with our friends.” the poor girl was ecstatic that Duke was finally allowing them to be seen together in public. the bar is on the floor ladies.
when they arrive at the bowling alley, Mallory is devastated bcos Duke refuses to acknowledge her as anything other than a casual acquaintance. and he doesn’t even want to be paired with her while they bowl wtf. he was like a stroppy kid who had his cake and ate it too. i mean she even goes over to kiss his cheek... and the dick sidesteps her and completely ignores her... in front of all their friends, completely humiliating her. it truly continued to get worse and worse💀 to the point where i laughed more than i was mad bcos it was so ridiculous.
Jenny was my saviour when she chewed Duke’s arse out: “Wanting her, loving her isn’t wrong.” Her voice grows louder and louder as she continues. “Wrong is making that poor girl fall for you only to diss her in front of your friends. Wrong is making Mally feel like a dirty secret. Wrong is—”
yes bitch, you tell him!! but her and Natalie telling Mallory to make Duke grovel was rich coming from those two doormats lmao.
sending her a cactus, some chicken chow mien and coffee to make her forgive him was truly laughable. idk maybe im too harsh, but if you want my forgiveness just drop a few thousand pounds into my bank account on the reg.
is it also legal for a random man to show up at her school with pizza and cake to feed all her students? without the parents’ permission? it was all just so juvenile and ridiculous man. and of course she forgives him bcos what else is new? it’s like things go back to normal and he never humiliated the fuck out of her.
she even says “i love you” first not long after they reconcile... and of course he doesn’t say it back either. bcos that would be too much to ask. he doesn’t say it for weeks to her either while she continuously tells him. my god. girl stop.
are you that mentally enslaved and intellectually subservient and intellectually molested and ideologically molested?!?!
this bitch even GETS HER HEAD BASHED IN BY HER DERANGED MOTHER AGAINST HER DEAD TWIN SISTER’S GRAVE STONE, IS NOT TAKEN TO HOSPITAL?? BUT GOES HOME WITH DUKE AND PROCEEDS TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM.
gurl, you’re worried about the wrong head.
she wanted to have sex so he could “make her whole again” like being abused made her half a person and was a flaw that only he could fix? erm not a fan of that implication.
AND THEN— YES IT GETS WORSE— SHE GETS INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, WHERE SHE’S HIT AND THE CAR SPINS INTO A DITCH, AND SHE’S INJURED.... WHERE THEY GO HOME AND HAVE SEX. AGAIN.
like this gurl is in several fatal accidents and the hero just whips his dick out like it’s the holy grail.
and Cricket is not an endearing nickname either😭 so suffice to say i hated this so much :))))
do not recommend xx
this was fucked up💀
i knew i was gonna loathe this but i didn’t think id hate it quite as much as i did.
prefacing this with context: the hero was in a relationship with the heroine’s identical twin sister for eleven years before she died and was planning to propose to her the day of her death.
no i am not making this up lol. totally wish i was.
the constant comparisons between the heroine and her dead twin sister was endless— all of which framed the dead twin in a pretty shitty light. how she didn’t like kinky sex and being tied up. how she wasn’t fully invested emotionally in Duke’s job (whatever the fuck that means). how she used her looks to get what she wanted and was totally aware of how pretty she was (unlike the heroine who has no clue so it makes her 1000x more attractive since she’s unaware).
how everything was effortless with Mallory like it never was with Valorie. how he never had any interest in public sex with Valorie but did with Mallory. how Valorie was passive-aggressive while Mallory was totally agreeable. how Mallory is “lush and curvy” while Valorie was all “straight lines”😭😭 again, whatever the fuck that means.
the portryal of women? i pretend not to see 👁👄👁 the heroines this author writes need to grow some serious backbones too ://// letting a man with a shitty attitude walk all over you just bcos he’s attractive? couldn’t fucking be me.
this bitch THANKS HIM bcos after ghosting her for several days, he calls her late one night and it shows her that she’s his first choice, i– 💀 girl where is the logic? this man has been nasty af to you and likely only wants you bcos you’re the spitting image of the dead love of his life, just with slightly kinkier tendencies which just works in his favour lmao.
i mean, you’re telling me Mallory has just told Duke she is a victim of abuse, Duke is a police officer and to get Mallory’s attention bcos she refuses to talk to him... he chases her down, grabs her and hauls her to his car???????? pushing her inside and forcing her to stay put?????? i– where is the tact. a real nice guy, that one, huh? are you gonna thank him again, Mallory??
and the fact Duke glosses over her abuse was staggering. he’s alway been there for Mallory’s mother after Valorie died, and initially hates Mallory for leaving town the moment high school was over and never coming back, then refusing to see her mother now she’s back in town. he reduces her abuse to her ‘not getting along with her mother’ and that she needs to suck it up. granted he didn’t know yet... but his assumptions made me physically sick, running his mouth on what he thought he knew vs what he actually knew... which was literally nothing.
then when he does find out, it’s never brought up again and it truly baffled me. especially bcos he didn’t apologise for judging her when he knew nothing of her life. only by what her mother and sister vaguely told him— i mean, in Duke’s first chapter, he overhears Mallory’s mother trashing her childhood bedroom and screaming that it should have been her who died🤨 but he continues to spout how Mallory abandoned her family and needed to get over the drama.
i– wow so you’re dumb, too?? who in their right mind would overhear such a thing then discover that she also ripped up Mallory’s birth certificate and noticed how considerably smaller her room was in comparison to Valorie’s, and still assume Mallory is in the wrong and be a monumental dick to her? what? i was truly baffled.
not to mention when they do get together, Mallory ends up being Duke’s dirty little secret. they don’t tell their friends they’re together (honestly, i couldn’t figure out why they kept it a secret since they’re friends constantly encouraged them to own their feelings and pushed them together), so they don’t do activities with their friends together. instead they basically rotate who spends time with them like a work schedule or some shit👀
when Duke reluctantly decides they can both go bowling with their friends (thanks for the permission mate, forgot Mallory was 12 and you were her dad) Mallory says “I beam, ecstatic that he’s actually asking me to join him out with our friends.” the poor girl was ecstatic that Duke was finally allowing them to be seen together in public. the bar is on the floor ladies.
when they arrive at the bowling alley, Mallory is devastated bcos Duke refuses to acknowledge her as anything other than a casual acquaintance. and he doesn’t even want to be paired with her while they bowl wtf. he was like a stroppy kid who had his cake and ate it too. i mean she even goes over to kiss his cheek... and the dick sidesteps her and completely ignores her... in front of all their friends, completely humiliating her. it truly continued to get worse and worse💀 to the point where i laughed more than i was mad bcos it was so ridiculous.
Jenny was my saviour when she chewed Duke’s arse out: “Wanting her, loving her isn’t wrong.” Her voice grows louder and louder as she continues. “Wrong is making that poor girl fall for you only to diss her in front of your friends. Wrong is making Mally feel like a dirty secret. Wrong is—”
yes bitch, you tell him!! but her and Natalie telling Mallory to make Duke grovel was rich coming from those two doormats lmao.
sending her a cactus, some chicken chow mien and coffee to make her forgive him was truly laughable. idk maybe im too harsh, but if you want my forgiveness just drop a few thousand pounds into my bank account on the reg.
is it also legal for a random man to show up at her school with pizza and cake to feed all her students? without the parents’ permission? it was all just so juvenile and ridiculous man. and of course she forgives him bcos what else is new? it’s like things go back to normal and he never humiliated the fuck out of her.
she even says “i love you” first not long after they reconcile... and of course he doesn’t say it back either. bcos that would be too much to ask. he doesn’t say it for weeks to her either while she continuously tells him. my god. girl stop.
are you that mentally enslaved and intellectually subservient and intellectually molested and ideologically molested?!?!
this bitch even GETS HER HEAD BASHED IN BY HER DERANGED MOTHER AGAINST HER DEAD TWIN SISTER’S GRAVE STONE, IS NOT TAKEN TO HOSPITAL?? BUT GOES HOME WITH DUKE AND PROCEEDS TO HAVE SEX WITH HIM.
gurl, you’re worried about the wrong head.
she wanted to have sex so he could “make her whole again” like being abused made her half a person and was a flaw that only he could fix? erm not a fan of that implication.
AND THEN— YES IT GETS WORSE— SHE GETS INTO A CAR ACCIDENT, WHERE SHE’S HIT AND THE CAR SPINS INTO A DITCH, AND SHE’S INJURED.... WHERE THEY GO HOME AND HAVE SEX. AGAIN.
like this gurl is in several fatal accidents and the hero just whips his dick out like it’s the holy grail.
and Cricket is not an endearing nickname either😭 so suffice to say i hated this so much :))))
do not recommend xx
August 27, 2019
WHAT AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER!
I’m still feeling the rush of finishing an outstanding novel. This book has the perfect title for many reasons. It’s the BEST of LK Farlow. I’ve read and loved all of her books, but this beauty is my new favorite. The unique voice and writing style of this author continues to ring true, but elevated to a higher level.
This storyline is the BEST I’ve found with this slice of forbidden. The author took risks and pushed boundaries and pulled it off flawlessly. This is a true journey of love and compassion winning out above all. There’s swoon and sweet, but also hard lessons and conquering the darkness. Duke and Mallory don’t have an easy, effortless road. The path is paved with grief, pain, and loss. Together they can find healing.
If you love unique and inspiring romances blended with raw and genuine feels, Best of Me is for you.
I’m still feeling the rush of finishing an outstanding novel. This book has the perfect title for many reasons. It’s the BEST of LK Farlow. I’ve read and loved all of her books, but this beauty is my new favorite. The unique voice and writing style of this author continues to ring true, but elevated to a higher level.
This storyline is the BEST I’ve found with this slice of forbidden. The author took risks and pushed boundaries and pulled it off flawlessly. This is a true journey of love and compassion winning out above all. There’s swoon and sweet, but also hard lessons and conquering the darkness. Duke and Mallory don’t have an easy, effortless road. The path is paved with grief, pain, and loss. Together they can find healing.
If you love unique and inspiring romances blended with raw and genuine feels, Best of Me is for you.
September 1, 2019
The moment Duke Kincaid saw Valorie Parsons in high school, he knew she would be his wife. 11 years later, he is a police-officer, she is a lawyer, and Duke plans to propose. 🎉
Only fate had other plans... Valorie died in a car accident, leaving Duke broken. 💔😭
📚 “Everyone grieves differently and heals at different speeds. No right or wrong way, and definitely no rulebook. You have to honor what feels right for you and your process. And if anyone judges you for it, then forget them. You don't need them anyway.” 📚
Mallory Parsons' life was never easy. She grew up to an abusive mother- and although she had a twin sister (Valorie) her mother always made sure to remind her she was unwanted. Mallory suffered humiliation, pain and grow up feeling unworthy... So, as soon as she finished high school, she left and never looked back. Not even when her sister died... 💥
Two years after Valorie's death, Mallory receives a job offer in her home town, only this time she's in control- she has a job, a home and a new friend- her apartment owner, Jenny. 💃
Jenny and her policeman fiance Nate, decide to match Mallory with Nate's partner. Imagine Duke's surprise when he sees a ghost in front of him... His love that was brutally taken from him. 😱😱😱
📚 "She's pretty much the physical embodiment of the life I lost, of the love I lost, which makes her the last person on earth I want to see." 📚
Mallory’s sudden return to Duke's life makes him feel anger, sadness, resentment and something he didn't think he would ever feel again... passion. 🔥 But could he be enough for her, after already giving her sister the best of him?? 😱💔
This is a book about a forbidden love and second chances. 💥 It's full of heartbreak, humor and hot chemistry. but...
HER TWIN SISTER? seriously???
I would have been able to like it better if they weren't twins... or identical, because for me, it was just too weird...
Duke has been with Valory for 11 years. She was his whole world, he planned to spend his life with her... and now he wants someone who looks (almost) just like her, and I'm supposed to believe it's because of her personality?
Umm...
No. Sorry.
📚 "What is it about this woman that elicits such a physical reaction from me?" 📚
I could understand why Duke was attracted to her, even though he tried to convince himself (and us) they were completely different (it didn't work...) but Mallory went through so much - and she deserves to be happy with someone who sees only her. And for me, it's not him...
Yet, I LOVED the author writing style. I felt their heartbreak and passion in every page... I really hoped I could be convinced about their connection, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. 🙈
I didn't like this story, BUT Nate and Jenny's book, "Best of Intentions" is AMAZING and I highly recommend it! 🔥🔥🔥 (each can be read as a standalone).
***I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.***
"Best of Me" will be available on Amazon at 5.9.2019 💚
dnf
February 24, 2022DNF @ 25%
Yeah, no. This is not for me. Way too OTT!
OTT drama with the h’s mom. 🙄
OTT instant sexual attraction even though grieving/OTT mixed feelings from the H 🙄🙄
And that’s before I got to my typical 30% mark that I get to before adding to my DNF shelf. I was ready for some conflicted angsty goodness, but this was wayyy too eye roll inducing already.
Yeah, no. This is not for me. Way too OTT!
OTT drama with the h’s mom. 🙄
OTT instant sexual attraction even though grieving/OTT mixed feelings from the H 🙄🙄
And that’s before I got to my typical 30% mark that I get to before adding to my DNF shelf. I was ready for some conflicted angsty goodness, but this was wayyy too eye roll inducing already.
September 8, 2019
Biggest thing I am thankful for this year is being able to discover new to me authors and L.K is one of them... I went into this book blind, and not sure what to expect, and I was not disappointed in the least. There was just something about the author's style of writing that had me hooked from page one all the way through to the end of the book.
Best of Me was different, I love my forbidden romances, and this was boarder line forbidden. Actually, it was pretty much just forbidden. Falling for your dead twins' boyfriend? This was certainly new to me which was awesome because when it comes to forbidden romances and me, I have just about read all the ways a romance can be forbidden, apart from a couple that is hard limits for me.
In this book, we have Duke and Mallory's epic love story. Let me say that love and their happy ending doesn't come easy. This story takes them through twists and turns, obstacles they always couldn't get past but managed to in the end.
Mallory hasn't been back to her home town in 11 years but after returning, she finds herself pushed back into a group of old friends there and her dead twin sister use to know and in that small crowd of people was her sisters' boyfriend, Duke. Mallory was taken back to learn he was there. After Duke lost Valarie (Mallory's twin sister) he had been going through the motions in life. Not really living at all.
That was until Mallory came waltzing back into the picture and everything around him and what he now called life started to change. He knew he shouldn't be having these sorts of feelings, Mallory knew also but the chemistry between them is undeniable and they struggle to keep in at bay.
Will they be able to?
This book holds more than just the forbidden aspect, it holds a little darkness, a little humor, a little heartache, a load of angst, and that oh-so-familiar angst-filled plot. It tackles some pretty intense topics and situations and it will have your heart hurting one minute and fluttering the next. The heat, the chemistry, the push and pull between these two was intense. It had me gripping my kindle. I wanted these two so bad, but at the same time, I felt wrong for wanting them and cheering them on.
All the angst. I LOVE ANGST and this book was overflowing with it.
It was such a complex storyline and had me a little bent out of shape. It was truly an amazing read and it will be one I will remember and go back to and re-read again.
The author has blown me away and I am eager to dive into her other books and see what awesome plots she's come up with for them, because if they are anything like this one... I know I will love them.
5 Forbidden Stars!
Best of Me was different, I love my forbidden romances, and this was boarder line forbidden. Actually, it was pretty much just forbidden. Falling for your dead twins' boyfriend? This was certainly new to me which was awesome because when it comes to forbidden romances and me, I have just about read all the ways a romance can be forbidden, apart from a couple that is hard limits for me.
In this book, we have Duke and Mallory's epic love story. Let me say that love and their happy ending doesn't come easy. This story takes them through twists and turns, obstacles they always couldn't get past but managed to in the end.
Mallory hasn't been back to her home town in 11 years but after returning, she finds herself pushed back into a group of old friends there and her dead twin sister use to know and in that small crowd of people was her sisters' boyfriend, Duke. Mallory was taken back to learn he was there. After Duke lost Valarie (Mallory's twin sister) he had been going through the motions in life. Not really living at all.
That was until Mallory came waltzing back into the picture and everything around him and what he now called life started to change. He knew he shouldn't be having these sorts of feelings, Mallory knew also but the chemistry between them is undeniable and they struggle to keep in at bay.
Will they be able to?
This book holds more than just the forbidden aspect, it holds a little darkness, a little humor, a little heartache, a load of angst, and that oh-so-familiar angst-filled plot. It tackles some pretty intense topics and situations and it will have your heart hurting one minute and fluttering the next. The heat, the chemistry, the push and pull between these two was intense. It had me gripping my kindle. I wanted these two so bad, but at the same time, I felt wrong for wanting them and cheering them on.
All the angst. I LOVE ANGST and this book was overflowing with it.
It was such a complex storyline and had me a little bent out of shape. It was truly an amazing read and it will be one I will remember and go back to and re-read again.
The author has blown me away and I am eager to dive into her other books and see what awesome plots she's come up with for them, because if they are anything like this one... I know I will love them.
5 Forbidden Stars!
August 23, 2019
Beautifully written, make your heart ache second chance romance!
Duke intrigued me from the first moment I met him, and when I found out who will be his pair I was really interested to find out how everything will play out, and LK Farlow didn't disappoint.
Duke intrigued me from the first moment I met him, and when I found out who will be his pair I was really interested to find out how everything will play out, and LK Farlow didn't disappoint.
September 4, 2019
Best of Me is LIVE! Amazon Bestselling author LK Farlow is back with the third and final standalone in her Bay Ridge Series. Grab this sweetly forbidden romance today!
How can I be enough for her when I’ve already given her sister the best of me…
Read for FREE in KU or grab it at the special release price:
US: https://amzn.to/2MUgydE
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/bestofme
MY REVIEW:
Such a heart-wrenching, emotional story... This book has ALL the feels... Duke (love that name--shivers) is a sexy cop who lost his fiancée in a tragic accident two years ago... Mallory is a strong young teacher who lost her twin sister in the same accident... Yep, they both lost her--but that's just the beginning!
Watching these two work through their feelings and find their way together is the stuff of great romance...
It's a touch of enemies to lovers. It's a touch forbidden love... It's ALL delicious slow-burn, angsty goodness. LK Farlow is the queen. Don't miss this irresistible romance.
Highly recommend!!!
How can I be enough for her when I’ve already given her sister the best of me…
Read for FREE in KU or grab it at the special release price:
US: https://amzn.to/2MUgydE
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/bestofme
MY REVIEW:
Such a heart-wrenching, emotional story... This book has ALL the feels... Duke (love that name--shivers) is a sexy cop who lost his fiancée in a tragic accident two years ago... Mallory is a strong young teacher who lost her twin sister in the same accident... Yep, they both lost her--but that's just the beginning!
Watching these two work through their feelings and find their way together is the stuff of great romance...
It's a touch of enemies to lovers. It's a touch forbidden love... It's ALL delicious slow-burn, angsty goodness. LK Farlow is the queen. Don't miss this irresistible romance.
Highly recommend!!!
August 26, 2019
5 “Cricket” Stars
I’m all in my feelings! Emotions overload. I’ve wanted and not so patiently waited for Duke’s book. I desperately needed to know more of his story and I was not disappointed.
My heart bled for Duke and the grief he was going through. The life he knew and the future he wanted died the same night he lost the love of his life. He’s just a shell of the man he once was. Going through the motions and barely living. But unexpectedly it all changes when the last person he ever expected bulldozes into his life.
As soon as Mallory graduated high school she left and never turned back. She didn’t have the easiest upbringing. With parents who didn’t want her, a mother that was so evil and her twin sister who couldn’t do no wrong. She moved on as best as she could with her life, but life is unexpected, and Mallory has no idea what it has in-store for her, but it’s definitely worthwhile.
Everything about Duke and Mallory shouldn’t work. But their connection is undeniable and they can’t help but be attracted to each other. They’ve both been through hell and back and find solace in one another. It’s not easy, and there are bumps along the way, but as long as they have each other they can fight anything together. Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start, but love always wins. And their love is absolutely epic.
Best of Me is definitely my favorite book in this series and it’s no surprise that Duke and Mallory are my favorite as well. Duke is everything charming and had me swooning nonstop. Mallory is so strong, determined and a fighter. They both were every bit deserving of a HEA. Every page had me captivated and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. LK wrapped me up in her words and made me feel like I was in this story right along with the characters. A beautifully and heartfelt second chance romance with all the emotions.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book*
I’m all in my feelings! Emotions overload. I’ve wanted and not so patiently waited for Duke’s book. I desperately needed to know more of his story and I was not disappointed.
My heart bled for Duke and the grief he was going through. The life he knew and the future he wanted died the same night he lost the love of his life. He’s just a shell of the man he once was. Going through the motions and barely living. But unexpectedly it all changes when the last person he ever expected bulldozes into his life.
As soon as Mallory graduated high school she left and never turned back. She didn’t have the easiest upbringing. With parents who didn’t want her, a mother that was so evil and her twin sister who couldn’t do no wrong. She moved on as best as she could with her life, but life is unexpected, and Mallory has no idea what it has in-store for her, but it’s definitely worthwhile.
Everything about Duke and Mallory shouldn’t work. But their connection is undeniable and they can’t help but be attracted to each other. They’ve both been through hell and back and find solace in one another. It’s not easy, and there are bumps along the way, but as long as they have each other they can fight anything together. Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start, but love always wins. And their love is absolutely epic.
Best of Me is definitely my favorite book in this series and it’s no surprise that Duke and Mallory are my favorite as well. Duke is everything charming and had me swooning nonstop. Mallory is so strong, determined and a fighter. They both were every bit deserving of a HEA. Every page had me captivated and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. LK wrapped me up in her words and made me feel like I was in this story right along with the characters. A beautifully and heartfelt second chance romance with all the emotions.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book*
September 4, 2019
Best of Me is LIVE! Amazon Bestselling author LK Farlow is back with the third and final standalone in her Bay Ridge Series. Grab this sweetly forbidden romance today!
How can I be enough for her when I’ve already given her sister the best of me…
Read for FREE in KU or grab it at the special release price!
US: https://amzn.to/2MUgydE
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/bestofme
MY REVIEW:
Farlow delivers a poignant romance that both devastated and restored me.
Duke and Mallory have suffered a terrible loss. One that was navigated with honesty and finesse. It would have been so easy to get derailed and turn their story into something dirty, instead we have an intricately woven tale of two shattered souls finding peace in the place they least expect to find it. The last place they WANT to find it, because the guilt is strong. The emotions leap from the page, and I totally put myself in their situation and rooted for their happy ending.
Beyond the H and h, Farlow creates phenomenal secondary characters. By the time you finish her books, you will feel like one of the gang. That takes talent and this woman has it in spades.
How can I be enough for her when I’ve already given her sister the best of me…
Read for FREE in KU or grab it at the special release price!
US: https://amzn.to/2MUgydE
UNIVERSAL: mybook.to/bestofme
MY REVIEW:
Farlow delivers a poignant romance that both devastated and restored me.
Duke and Mallory have suffered a terrible loss. One that was navigated with honesty and finesse. It would have been so easy to get derailed and turn their story into something dirty, instead we have an intricately woven tale of two shattered souls finding peace in the place they least expect to find it. The last place they WANT to find it, because the guilt is strong. The emotions leap from the page, and I totally put myself in their situation and rooted for their happy ending.
Beyond the H and h, Farlow creates phenomenal secondary characters. By the time you finish her books, you will feel like one of the gang. That takes talent and this woman has it in spades.
November 10, 2019
Given the phone-it-in, NA-ness of Best of Intentions as well as having the trope I dislike most, sibling to sibling, (why did I read this) I liked this book.
Duke is a very emotional hero and was a basket case in BoI so yay...drama. Here he is not much better. He lost the love of his life in a car accident and the author tortured him and us by having him see the mangled body as a responder. Mallory the heroine, her twin sister, is the scapegoat of the family and has moved back to town. He is livid. Where was she all those years? Why wasn't she at the funeral?
Emotions run high. And when I say she was a scapegoat for her family, it is along epic lines of a scapegoat stoned in Ancient Greece. The mother was ugly which always adds some nice drama, but this was disturbing. How bad? On a scale of 1 to 1o with Margaret Way's mothers being tens, this bad mother was a 100.
Now for the story.
My heart sank when I read this,
But I’ve been thinking about asking Val to marry me since she agreed to that first date all those years ago. What she and I have is special—it’s that once in a lifetime, knock-you-on-your-ass kind of love.
How do you come back from that and fall in love much less with her twin? Not identical thank goodness.
It's off to a rocky start as Duke is furious, emotional and confused whenever he sees Mallory. Mallory just wants to get settled and finally make some friends and stay as far away from her Pyscho mother as she can. No, she's not a gentle dweeby doormat who wants to suck it up at all costs. She is just happy to not relive the abuse as a child. She did something few heroines do in romance, she had therapy.
The emotional connection and sexual tension is hot between the two, but Farlow spares us insta-bed hopping and allows them to build a relationship. The confusion and sexual tension is laced with humor,
I’m taking my dead girlfriend’s twin sister on a date.
and the two eventually get together. The H does the required pushing away and stupid stuff, but the romance is solid until the mother enters the picture again.
Three stars for making me believe that he fell for the heroine on her own rather than a stand-in for her sister.
Duke is a very emotional hero and was a basket case in BoI so yay...drama. Here he is not much better. He lost the love of his life in a car accident and the author tortured him and us by having him see the mangled body as a responder. Mallory the heroine, her twin sister, is the scapegoat of the family and has moved back to town. He is livid. Where was she all those years? Why wasn't she at the funeral?
Emotions run high. And when I say she was a scapegoat for her family, it is along epic lines of a scapegoat stoned in Ancient Greece. The mother was ugly which always adds some nice drama, but this was disturbing. How bad? On a scale of 1 to 1o with Margaret Way's mothers being tens, this bad mother was a 100.
Now for the story.
My heart sank when I read this,
But I’ve been thinking about asking Val to marry me since she agreed to that first date all those years ago. What she and I have is special—it’s that once in a lifetime, knock-you-on-your-ass kind of love.
How do you come back from that and fall in love much less with her twin? Not identical thank goodness.
It's off to a rocky start as Duke is furious, emotional and confused whenever he sees Mallory. Mallory just wants to get settled and finally make some friends and stay as far away from her Pyscho mother as she can. No, she's not a gentle dweeby doormat who wants to suck it up at all costs. She is just happy to not relive the abuse as a child. She did something few heroines do in romance, she had therapy.
The emotional connection and sexual tension is hot between the two, but Farlow spares us insta-bed hopping and allows them to build a relationship. The confusion and sexual tension is laced with humor,
I’m taking my dead girlfriend’s twin sister on a date.
and the two eventually get together. The H does the required pushing away and stupid stuff, but the romance is solid until the mother enters the picture again.
Three stars for making me believe that he fell for the heroine on her own rather than a stand-in for her sister.
September 10, 2019
Super lame...and kinda gross
First LK Farlow book. Also my last. For all the reviews that gush about her stories, how emotional and beautiful they are, I absolutely beg to differ.
This book has about as much depth as a puddle on a sidewalk. It's full of contrived drama and stale, regurgitated prose. The constant lustful thoughts and sex - once they started having it - were straight up annoying and took me out of a story I was already slogging through with great effort. Their hormonal inner dialogue and behaviour was really inappropriate at times. I mean, who in. the. hell gets busy after having a pretty significant car crash?!
Anyone?
Aye, dinnae think so.
The h was Mallory and goddamn was she irritating. Like a bloody rash, she was. Always crying and stuttering and feckin whimpering. I despise whimpering, just so that's clear. I can't be arsed with the constant, needy damsel in distress, and that's Mallory to a 'T.'
Another thing I hate? Heroes written like women. When their thoughts go all emo and flowery and shit, makes me wanna bust some arse. So fricken girly. This writer seriously needs to learn how to execute inner dialogue, no matter what gender the character, because she sucks at it. No straight guy is going to describe in detail what his date is wearing down to the color. He's not going to say 'kimono' and 'Daisy Dukes.' He's gonna say 'jacket' and 'cutoffs.' Men are NOT that elaborate in their descriptions. People don't consciously keep track of their facial expressions. They don't know when they are giving someone a 'stony stare.'
How could they?
So why is inane stuff like this part of the inner dialogue?
And does anyone really believe that a person is going to think, 'I could see her hunger as she gazed at my taut muscles in my uniform...'
*snort* 😖😑
Please.
Also, self-absorbed much?
So no. Didn't like hero Duke much either, because he was like reading a girl trying to be a guy.
And too much damn description. Each article of clothing the h wears, the colour, the matching accessories, the shoes. How she puts on her makeup. Hiw she does her hair.
Stfu already. It's annoying and doesn't advance the story. Neither does mentioning by name other writers one is friends with.
For the record, those two writers are on my 'avoid' list, so I guess it's not surprising I don't care for this writers style. Like begets like and all that.
The thing that likely both attracts and repels readers is the subject matter. A cop loses the love of his life in an accident the night he was going to propose. He winds up falling for her identical twin three years later.
How about no?
I mean, I don't think there is any rule that says you shouldn't get involved with your dead gf's sister or your dead twin's man.
But you really shouldn't. It just seems like you shouldn't. Dunno why, that's just how I feel about it.
In summary, very predictable, light read. Don't expect any depth or genuine emotion. The writing seems juvenile, the characters were immature and there was the always unwelcome gaggle of yapping, busybody girlfriends. Duke's interactions with partner and friend Nate were like they were two women. And there was a lot of silly, OTT dramalama and some teeth-clenchingly unrealistic sex scenes.
If this is your bag, have at it. If you don't have a problem with the whole dead sister thing and don't mind the constant repetition of guilty inner dialogue and thoughts of how 'wrong' it is, enjoy the read.
I didn't.
But I made it to 64% before I said screw it and began skimming - although I will say I predicted both the confrontation with Mallory's evil mother AND the car crash. Because these writers are all the same. Not an original thought in the lot of them.
One reluctant star. No recommendation.
First LK Farlow book. Also my last. For all the reviews that gush about her stories, how emotional and beautiful they are, I absolutely beg to differ.
This book has about as much depth as a puddle on a sidewalk. It's full of contrived drama and stale, regurgitated prose. The constant lustful thoughts and sex - once they started having it - were straight up annoying and took me out of a story I was already slogging through with great effort. Their hormonal inner dialogue and behaviour was really inappropriate at times. I mean, who in. the. hell gets busy after having a pretty significant car crash?!
Anyone?
Aye, dinnae think so.
The h was Mallory and goddamn was she irritating. Like a bloody rash, she was. Always crying and stuttering and feckin whimpering. I despise whimpering, just so that's clear. I can't be arsed with the constant, needy damsel in distress, and that's Mallory to a 'T.'
Another thing I hate? Heroes written like women. When their thoughts go all emo and flowery and shit, makes me wanna bust some arse. So fricken girly. This writer seriously needs to learn how to execute inner dialogue, no matter what gender the character, because she sucks at it. No straight guy is going to describe in detail what his date is wearing down to the color. He's not going to say 'kimono' and 'Daisy Dukes.' He's gonna say 'jacket' and 'cutoffs.' Men are NOT that elaborate in their descriptions. People don't consciously keep track of their facial expressions. They don't know when they are giving someone a 'stony stare.'
How could they?
So why is inane stuff like this part of the inner dialogue?
And does anyone really believe that a person is going to think, 'I could see her hunger as she gazed at my taut muscles in my uniform...'
*snort* 😖😑
Please.
Also, self-absorbed much?
So no. Didn't like hero Duke much either, because he was like reading a girl trying to be a guy.
And too much damn description. Each article of clothing the h wears, the colour, the matching accessories, the shoes. How she puts on her makeup. Hiw she does her hair.
Stfu already. It's annoying and doesn't advance the story. Neither does mentioning by name other writers one is friends with.
For the record, those two writers are on my 'avoid' list, so I guess it's not surprising I don't care for this writers style. Like begets like and all that.
The thing that likely both attracts and repels readers is the subject matter. A cop loses the love of his life in an accident the night he was going to propose. He winds up falling for her identical twin three years later.
How about no?
I mean, I don't think there is any rule that says you shouldn't get involved with your dead gf's sister or your dead twin's man.
But you really shouldn't. It just seems like you shouldn't. Dunno why, that's just how I feel about it.
In summary, very predictable, light read. Don't expect any depth or genuine emotion. The writing seems juvenile, the characters were immature and there was the always unwelcome gaggle of yapping, busybody girlfriends. Duke's interactions with partner and friend Nate were like they were two women. And there was a lot of silly, OTT dramalama and some teeth-clenchingly unrealistic sex scenes.
If this is your bag, have at it. If you don't have a problem with the whole dead sister thing and don't mind the constant repetition of guilty inner dialogue and thoughts of how 'wrong' it is, enjoy the read.
I didn't.
But I made it to 64% before I said screw it and began skimming - although I will say I predicted both the confrontation with Mallory's evil mother AND the car crash. Because these writers are all the same. Not an original thought in the lot of them.
One reluctant star. No recommendation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2019
I am having a goosebump over this book. Really i am. I read so many forbidden romance. Stepbrother, best friend sibling, age difference, teacher and student,priest, boss and staff. When i read Best of Me, with twin sister as the theme, i got goosebump. Really i am.
I love the writing style. It has really nice flow building the story and makes me interested. The characters also develop enough to support the story. Its just the forbidden issue, Duke is dating Mallory after her twin sister dead, should be handle with more sensitivity. I feel like both of Duke and Mallory rushing into the relationship without having to talk about Vallary.
Overall i do enjoy the book very much.
4 stars
I love the writing style. It has really nice flow building the story and makes me interested. The characters also develop enough to support the story. Its just the forbidden issue, Duke is dating Mallory after her twin sister dead, should be handle with more sensitivity. I feel like both of Duke and Mallory rushing into the relationship without having to talk about Vallary.
Overall i do enjoy the book very much.
4 stars
September 2, 2019
If you want an emotional pull that will bring tears to your eyes, then this is the book for you. Mallory and Duke's story is not traditional and some may call it forbidden but you can't always reason with you heart. It does whatever it wants.
Duke loses the love of his life and is a shell of the person he once was. Living day by day but not really living, he comes face to face with a woman he thought he hated. Funny thing about hate and most other emotions, they normally fester from unknown facts and Duke doesn't have the full story, when it comes to his late girlfriend's twin sister.
I'm going to stop there, because this story is so full of heartache and love that if I were to say anymore, I may ruin it for you. The bottom line, everyone needs Duke and Mallory's story in their own hearts.
A five star plus some read!
Duke loses the love of his life and is a shell of the person he once was. Living day by day but not really living, he comes face to face with a woman he thought he hated. Funny thing about hate and most other emotions, they normally fester from unknown facts and Duke doesn't have the full story, when it comes to his late girlfriend's twin sister.
I'm going to stop there, because this story is so full of heartache and love that if I were to say anymore, I may ruin it for you. The bottom line, everyone needs Duke and Mallory's story in their own hearts.
A five star plus some read!
February 24, 2020
Yucky indeed. Why???? I don’t want to be with my sister love like really? Fiction but come on who wants sloppy seconds.
September 8, 2019
A little sad and a little taboo.
The hero lost his long time love. The heroine just so happens to be that loves, distant twin sister. The hero sort of hates her, because he doesn’t know why she’s so distant and removed from her family. Then again he also has these weird feelings for her as well. The heroine moves back close to her hometown for a job that’s basically a dream. The last thing she expects is to fall in to the same circle of friends as her dead twin’s high school sweetheart. She also definitely doesn’t expect the sparks that fly every time they are near each other.
This story is pretty good. If you don’t mind someone ending up with their siblings one time lover, then you’ll enjoy it. It’s an easy read and it’s a quick read.
The hero lost his long time love. The heroine just so happens to be that loves, distant twin sister. The hero sort of hates her, because he doesn’t know why she’s so distant and removed from her family. Then again he also has these weird feelings for her as well. The heroine moves back close to her hometown for a job that’s basically a dream. The last thing she expects is to fall in to the same circle of friends as her dead twin’s high school sweetheart. She also definitely doesn’t expect the sparks that fly every time they are near each other.
This story is pretty good. If you don’t mind someone ending up with their siblings one time lover, then you’ll enjoy it. It’s an easy read and it’s a quick read.
no-way-jose
February 24, 2020What an appealing blurb. Nope.. not at all. “... if I gave her sister the best of me.” Speechless with such loving thought. 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
Eecccaa 🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮
Sister’s boy friend. Sister is dead and heroine is her twin. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 who doesn’t know what who the hero is really thinking about??🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Eecccaa 🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮
Sister’s boy friend. Sister is dead and heroine is her twin. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 who doesn’t know what who the hero is really thinking about??🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
June 9, 2023
2.5 Sister double-dipping Stars
I read this a couple weeks back, so this review isn’t the freshest. I really thought it would be a lot juicier based on the setup/blurb, but it really wasn’t.
This is a sister-lovin scenario. Duke met Val (Valorie) in HS and fell in love. Her twin sister Mal (Mallory) was a goth/outcast that left town as soon as they graduated. The book opens with Val dying in a car accident and Mal returning home the following year for a job.
There were things I liked and didn’t… but none of it was very emotional which is the only reason I’d read the sister-seconds dynamic.
For starters, Val and Mal weren’t close… and she wasn’t interested in Duke… and she HATES her terrible family, so there was no pining, unrequited love, or family drama with these two hooking up. Hell, they don’t even live in the same town they grew up in and for some strange reason his friends didn’t know his gf of 11 years, so no one is even frowning over them having a relationship.
Duke is a bit of a jerk in the beginning, but he isn’t completely terrible. If you enjoy an asshole… you’ll probably be unimpressed. He doesn't villainize the twin but isn't really hung up on her either.
There’re also bits that don’t make sense… like how long it took her to finish law school and the fact that his cop partner bestie and other friends have clearly never met his long-term gf because they don’t recognize her identical twin. 🤷♀️
Bottom Line- This was ok but didn’t deliver the drama I was craving. The only real drama comes from her terrible mother but she’s hardly around. There’s a lot of secondary character filler. I finished with serious skimming and was bored several times.
Random- was she drunk at the end?
I read this a couple weeks back, so this review isn’t the freshest. I really thought it would be a lot juicier based on the setup/blurb, but it really wasn’t.
This is a sister-lovin scenario. Duke met Val (Valorie) in HS and fell in love. Her twin sister Mal (Mallory) was a goth/outcast that left town as soon as they graduated. The book opens with Val dying in a car accident and Mal returning home the following year for a job.
There were things I liked and didn’t… but none of it was very emotional which is the only reason I’d read the sister-seconds dynamic.
For starters, Val and Mal weren’t close… and she wasn’t interested in Duke… and she HATES her terrible family, so there was no pining, unrequited love, or family drama with these two hooking up. Hell, they don’t even live in the same town they grew up in and for some strange reason his friends didn’t know his gf of 11 years, so no one is even frowning over them having a relationship.
Duke is a bit of a jerk in the beginning, but he isn’t completely terrible. If you enjoy an asshole… you’ll probably be unimpressed. He doesn't villainize the twin but isn't really hung up on her either.
There’re also bits that don’t make sense… like how long it took her to finish law school and the fact that his cop partner bestie and other friends have clearly never met his long-term gf because they don’t recognize her identical twin. 🤷♀️
Bottom Line- This was ok but didn’t deliver the drama I was craving. The only real drama comes from her terrible mother but she’s hardly around. There’s a lot of secondary character filler. I finished with serious skimming and was bored several times.
Random- was she drunk at the end?
September 5, 2019
5 PHENOMENAL STARS!! I devoured this book!! Duke and Mallory's story is forbidden and heartbreaking, but what a beautiful journey you will travel. These two are both broken with some obstacles and all the feels in the world. I had happy tears, sad tears and my heart was completely broken, but put back together again. This author has moved to the top of my list, as always to 1-Click.
July 29, 2021
Dude falls for dead girlfriend’s twin?? 👀😬Sounds like a train wreck. 🤷🏼♀️ Let’s do this!
Honestly. I picked this up fully intending to hate read. All of these tropes and types of characters are everything I avoid like it’s my job. But… it wasn’t that bad. 🤷🏼♀️ I didn’t really love it and I didn’t really hate it.
- both the H and h are in their late 20’s, I prefer younger characters, but their ages didn’t really play much of a role
- she’s a teacher and he’s a police officer - again, not generally my cuppa
- he’s been celibate for the 2 years since the girlfriend died
- the h is sexually experienced, as you’d expect for her age 😕
- the H is still hung up on his dead girlfriend. They’d been together for 11 years(!!) — his dick hasn’t worked in the 2 years since her death… but, Surprise Surprise… his body perks right up as soon as he lays eyes on HER TWIN. 👀😬😐🥴 You know that icky feeling you have in your gut right now for the h? Yeah… that never really goes away completely. 😐
- there’s some family drama - the mother is abusive - the H eventually steps in to protect the h
- The only kind of OW I like, dead or otherwise, is the Evil
Cackling Whore variety… but this book has the Sainted Martyr variety. 🙄 Bummer.
- the H is protective and a little bossy, but nothing OTT
- there’s a conflict about 2/3 in that seemed a bit contrived and overblown.
- this book is pretty skimpy on the smexxy. 😕 They make out some and there’s some heavy petting and oral, but don’t do the deed til around 85%.. it’s not particularly detailed. 😩
- considering the subject matter, I was expecting an angst -fest… I kinda wish it had been… this is surprisingly low angst, IMO.
Bottom Line? The story is surprisingly sweet. 🤷🏼♀️ However, I never could shake the feeling that if the TRUE love of his life came back from the dead, the H would drop the h like a bad habit. 😕 So, it’s 2.5 stars from me.
⚠️FOR THE SAFETY SQUAD⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- dead OW
- no dubcon
Honestly. I picked this up fully intending to hate read. All of these tropes and types of characters are everything I avoid like it’s my job. But… it wasn’t that bad. 🤷🏼♀️ I didn’t really love it and I didn’t really hate it.
- both the H and h are in their late 20’s, I prefer younger characters, but their ages didn’t really play much of a role
- she’s a teacher and he’s a police officer - again, not generally my cuppa
- he’s been celibate for the 2 years since the girlfriend died
- the h is sexually experienced, as you’d expect for her age 😕
- the H is still hung up on his dead girlfriend. They’d been together for 11 years(!!) — his dick hasn’t worked in the 2 years since her death… but, Surprise Surprise… his body perks right up as soon as he lays eyes on HER TWIN. 👀😬😐🥴 You know that icky feeling you have in your gut right now for the h? Yeah… that never really goes away completely. 😐
- there’s some family drama - the mother is abusive - the H eventually steps in to protect the h
- The only kind of OW I like, dead or otherwise, is the Evil
Cackling Whore variety… but this book has the Sainted Martyr variety. 🙄 Bummer.
- the H is protective and a little bossy, but nothing OTT
- there’s a conflict about 2/3 in that seemed a bit contrived and overblown.
- this book is pretty skimpy on the smexxy. 😕 They make out some and there’s some heavy petting and oral, but don’t do the deed til around 85%.. it’s not particularly detailed. 😩
- considering the subject matter, I was expecting an angst -fest… I kinda wish it had been… this is surprisingly low angst, IMO.
Bottom Line? The story is surprisingly sweet. 🤷🏼♀️ However, I never could shake the feeling that if the TRUE love of his life came back from the dead, the H would drop the h like a bad habit. 😕 So, it’s 2.5 stars from me.
⚠️FOR THE SAFETY SQUAD⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- dead OW
- no dubcon
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 5, 2019
I feel like this book is yet another shining example of what I love about this author's writing.
She really is an exceptional story teller.
She took a story line that might not seem like it would work and made it into a beautiful romance. I truly felt the love between these characters. And even if Duke had a previous love, and despite who his first love was to his second love, by the end I truly believed in what Duke and Mallory had.
Their story certainly had it's share of bumps and bruises. And I kind of wanted to strangle Mallory's parents. But it was all so fantastically written that the ending was the well deserved cherry on the top.
This is a must read story. It's absolutely deserving of all 5 stars plus some.
September 2, 2019
Best of Me is a second chance at love story which breaks through quite a few barriers. It is a unique and thought provoking tale but also a beautiful love story. L.K. Farlow tackles the subject matter in this story with flawless grace, and the characters’ emotional states offer the readers a glimpse into how two people can connect through shared grief and more importantly, beyond their grief.
On paper, Duke and Mallory shouldn’t work. But their connection is undeniable and they can’t help the attraction to each other. They’ve both been through hell and back and find solace in the other. It’s not an easy journey, and there are bumps along the way. Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start, but love always wins. And their love is absolutely epic.
Best of Me is my favorite book in this series and it’s no surprise that Duke and Mallory are my favorite as well. Duke is everything charming and had me swooning nonstop. Mallory is so strong, determined and a fighter. They both were every bit deserving of a HEA. Every page captivated me and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. I was completely enraptured with L.K. Farlow’s words and I felt like I was in this story right along with the characters. A beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance with all the emotions.
On paper, Duke and Mallory shouldn’t work. But their connection is undeniable and they can’t help the attraction to each other. They’ve both been through hell and back and find solace in the other. It’s not an easy journey, and there are bumps along the way. Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start, but love always wins. And their love is absolutely epic.
Best of Me is my favorite book in this series and it’s no surprise that Duke and Mallory are my favorite as well. Duke is everything charming and had me swooning nonstop. Mallory is so strong, determined and a fighter. They both were every bit deserving of a HEA. Every page captivated me and I couldn’t turn them fast enough. I was completely enraptured with L.K. Farlow’s words and I felt like I was in this story right along with the characters. A beautiful and heartfelt second chance romance with all the emotions.
January 30, 2022
4 Stars
From the beginning I was sucked into the story of Duke, who lost his fiancé several years earlier, and Mallery, Duke’s dead fiancé’s twin. Now I’ll say from the beginning, I’m not a fan of romances where one twin is somehow “replaced” by the other twin but L.K. Farrow made this work for me by writing the twins both as likeable but wildly different from one another. We don’t see a lot of Mallery’s sister which also helped.
This would’ve been a 5 Star read for me but I felt like some opportunities were missed in the storytelling. Mallery’s family issues were glossed over, for lack of a better word, and the story would’ve been enhanced had the dangling threads been tied up. When did Duke truly believe Mallery’s side of things? How about some comeuppance for both Mallery’s mom and Dad? So much of the reason Mallery chose to have a no contact relationship with her twin, and thus create Duke’s anger towards her, was because of her parents. I felt that part of the story was underdeveloped.
That issue aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be backtracking to start the rest of the series. Because of course I read the last book of the series first 😐.
From the beginning I was sucked into the story of Duke, who lost his fiancé several years earlier, and Mallery, Duke’s dead fiancé’s twin. Now I’ll say from the beginning, I’m not a fan of romances where one twin is somehow “replaced” by the other twin but L.K. Farrow made this work for me by writing the twins both as likeable but wildly different from one another. We don’t see a lot of Mallery’s sister which also helped.
This would’ve been a 5 Star read for me but I felt like some opportunities were missed in the storytelling. Mallery’s family issues were glossed over, for lack of a better word, and the story would’ve been enhanced had the dangling threads been tied up. When did Duke truly believe Mallery’s side of things? How about some comeuppance for both Mallery’s mom and Dad? So much of the reason Mallery chose to have a no contact relationship with her twin, and thus create Duke’s anger towards her, was because of her parents. I felt that part of the story was underdeveloped.
That issue aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be backtracking to start the rest of the series. Because of course I read the last book of the series first 😐.
June 27, 2022
I can already tell this book will be very polarizing if I recommended it to my friends. It's a taboo romance but it doesn't stress too much on our hero's distress that he's in love with his dead fiancee's twin sister. It deals with our heroine and her abusive relationship with her toxic mother but it's not heavily focused or developed enough. But was it entertaining? Yes. Did it suck me in? Yes. Was the chemistry there? Yes.
September 5, 2019
3,5
Mallory cresceu sofrendo abusos da mãe, sem o apoio completo do pai e sendo a sombra da irmã, que tinha tudo que ela não tinha. Assim que ela se forma, ela parte para estudar longe de casa e só retorna dois anos depois da morte da irmã, devido a uma oferta de trabalho.
Novamente na cidade que a fez tão mal, ela faz novos amigos e reencontra Duke, o noivo da sua irmã falecida.A atração entre eles é obvia e embora eles lutem contra ela, o sentimento é maior e faz com que descubram a felicidade juntos, em meio à conflitos internos, à lembrança de Valorie e o medo do que os outros vão pensar sobre o relacionamento deles.
Enquanto Duke é apresentado como um mocinho estúpido, cheio de opiniões formadas mas que são longe da verdade e que não consegue seguir em frente, Mallory é uma garota forte, bem humorada e que deixou o passado de tristezas para trás. Ambos estão atraídos um pelo outro embora Duke seja bem idiota com ela, que na maior parte das vezes dá outra chance para ele que não é aproveitada como se deve.
A história é contada sob o ponto de vista dos dois personagens e é bem ambientada. É gostosinha mas onde a autoria deveria se aprofundar, ela dá apenas pequenas amostras do que ocorre, fazendo com que o livro se torne mais superficial do que eu gostaria.
Mallory possui uma vulnerabilidade e insegurança que é mostrada e na maior parte das vezes fica camuflada com seu bom humor, sua personalidade e com as frases que solta ao lado de Duke e dos amigos.
A profundidade dos maus tratos sofridos com a mãe e negligencia do pai e da irmã não são devidamente mostrados e teria sido interessante saber mais sobre eles.
De toda forma é um livro rápido e um bom passatempo. O livro faz parte de uma série e os outros personagens aparecem nesse para dar leveza em diversos momentos.
Arc cedido pela autora e Candi Kane PR. Obrigada.
Mallory cresceu sofrendo abusos da mãe, sem o apoio completo do pai e sendo a sombra da irmã, que tinha tudo que ela não tinha. Assim que ela se forma, ela parte para estudar longe de casa e só retorna dois anos depois da morte da irmã, devido a uma oferta de trabalho.
Novamente na cidade que a fez tão mal, ela faz novos amigos e reencontra Duke, o noivo da sua irmã falecida.A atração entre eles é obvia e embora eles lutem contra ela, o sentimento é maior e faz com que descubram a felicidade juntos, em meio à conflitos internos, à lembrança de Valorie e o medo do que os outros vão pensar sobre o relacionamento deles.
Enquanto Duke é apresentado como um mocinho estúpido, cheio de opiniões formadas mas que são longe da verdade e que não consegue seguir em frente, Mallory é uma garota forte, bem humorada e que deixou o passado de tristezas para trás. Ambos estão atraídos um pelo outro embora Duke seja bem idiota com ela, que na maior parte das vezes dá outra chance para ele que não é aproveitada como se deve.
A história é contada sob o ponto de vista dos dois personagens e é bem ambientada. É gostosinha mas onde a autoria deveria se aprofundar, ela dá apenas pequenas amostras do que ocorre, fazendo com que o livro se torne mais superficial do que eu gostaria.
Mallory possui uma vulnerabilidade e insegurança que é mostrada e na maior parte das vezes fica camuflada com seu bom humor, sua personalidade e com as frases que solta ao lado de Duke e dos amigos.
A profundidade dos maus tratos sofridos com a mãe e negligencia do pai e da irmã não são devidamente mostrados e teria sido interessante saber mais sobre eles.
De toda forma é um livro rápido e um bom passatempo. O livro faz parte de uma série e os outros personagens aparecem nesse para dar leveza em diversos momentos.
Arc cedido pela autora e Candi Kane PR. Obrigada.
September 15, 2019
4 Cricket Baby Stars
Ok, so storylines like these tend to challenge me, as there’s much talk of a past love interest! This one I went into blind, and would have probably been more reluctant to start had I known the circumstances, because reading the bulb now...it sounds kind of cliche. With that said, this slow burn story was done pretty well, all told. I’d definitely read “Best Laid Plans,” and then “Best of Intentions” first if you like to stay within reading order, all of these characters are interwoven.
I felt for Mallory’s character so much, and couldn’t imagine being in her shoes. Living in your twin sister’s shadow since before you are even born would be tough for anyone. I can’t imagine having parents (especially a mother) like she had, it blows my mind actually. I did enjoy seeing that she bloomed so much from her time away from her hometown, and toxic family. Seeing her within her profession, and even getting to get a few glimpses of Tatum (a previous child character from past books) was nice to see.
Duke, was hard to figure out at times, that’s to be understood under the circumstances. After loosing the love of his life a little over a year before, he was just starting to have good days. When he first lays eyes on Mallory, (so similar to his one true love) he feels shocked hurt, and angry, given what he knew at the time. I really liked him up to one point, in which he annoyed me in one particular scene. But then he made up for it in a big way, so all was forgiven. The ending was so sweet, and just about perfect! My kind of HEA!
Ok, so storylines like these tend to challenge me, as there’s much talk of a past love interest! This one I went into blind, and would have probably been more reluctant to start had I known the circumstances, because reading the bulb now...it sounds kind of cliche. With that said, this slow burn story was done pretty well, all told. I’d definitely read “Best Laid Plans,” and then “Best of Intentions” first if you like to stay within reading order, all of these characters are interwoven.
I felt for Mallory’s character so much, and couldn’t imagine being in her shoes. Living in your twin sister’s shadow since before you are even born would be tough for anyone. I can’t imagine having parents (especially a mother) like she had, it blows my mind actually. I did enjoy seeing that she bloomed so much from her time away from her hometown, and toxic family. Seeing her within her profession, and even getting to get a few glimpses of Tatum (a previous child character from past books) was nice to see.
Duke, was hard to figure out at times, that’s to be understood under the circumstances. After loosing the love of his life a little over a year before, he was just starting to have good days. When he first lays eyes on Mallory, (so similar to his one true love) he feels shocked hurt, and angry, given what he knew at the time. I really liked him up to one point, in which he annoyed me in one particular scene. But then he made up for it in a big way, so all was forgiven. The ending was so sweet, and just about perfect! My kind of HEA!
August 26, 2019
Duke oh Duke.
This is my fave story from this series LK Farlow has a way to wrap you in her words as if your in the story along with the characters. Every page had me captivated from start to finish. Duke and Mallory are like a fairytale couple with one epic romance.
Duke is charming as hell and boy does his words make you swoon. I fell in love with Duke the moment he came to life in the pages, his charm, swagger and realness just captivated you made you smile and had you with hearts in your eyes.
Mallory was strong and determined and I loved that. I loved she fought for herself and kept you eager to see if she got the HEA she deserved.
She may have had a rough childhood but she proves no matter how bad you can have it. Sometimes you van find happiness just by going back and facing your demons.
Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start but love always wins out and every page oozes charm, passion, angst and drama.
Beauitfully written second chance romance with enough to keep you guessing.
I loved this story and I will hold Duke and Mallory in my heart for always.
This is my fave story from this series LK Farlow has a way to wrap you in her words as if your in the story along with the characters. Every page had me captivated from start to finish. Duke and Mallory are like a fairytale couple with one epic romance.
Duke is charming as hell and boy does his words make you swoon. I fell in love with Duke the moment he came to life in the pages, his charm, swagger and realness just captivated you made you smile and had you with hearts in your eyes.
Mallory was strong and determined and I loved that. I loved she fought for herself and kept you eager to see if she got the HEA she deserved.
She may have had a rough childhood but she proves no matter how bad you can have it. Sometimes you van find happiness just by going back and facing your demons.
Duke and Mallory may have a rocky start but love always wins out and every page oozes charm, passion, angst and drama.
Beauitfully written second chance romance with enough to keep you guessing.
I loved this story and I will hold Duke and Mallory in my heart for always.
September 4, 2019
I wore my fingers out messaging all my friends that they have to READ THIS STORY!
Best of Me is an emotional rollercoaster of desire and discovery, steeped in a crushing small town bubble of love and loss. Mallory and Duke will stay with you long after you finish. It’s so damn good.
Best of Me is a page turner, with the right kind of angst, starring deeply wounded lovers that upends the usual second chance small town hero tropes. It’s all because LK Farlow has a knack for writing ordinary people dealing with extraordinary loss and insecurities. I already knew that, but this book, it's a huge leap. Farlow is a talented romance writer. The more I read the more I love.
I won't rehash the blurb, it says it all. However Duke and Mallory are wonderful. I choked up so many times reading this. They want to be together, but they hurt each other and soothe each other in ways no one else could understand.
A skittish passionate young woman, Mallory—a great lead with enough backstory to feed several books—has so much to give, love, friendship, wisdom (even fashion tips) but no one to give herself to. She's lived a life in the shadows, and she hides her unearned shame well. I love her, she's an amazing invention. Mallory is dark and keeps to herself, going so far as to dress for battle, to ward people away. The isolation makes sense because she’s written as a complicated woman, not least of all because her family history holds her back. Sigh, she moved me, so much. Of course Duke feels an immediate connection. However, in a great twist, Mallory is the exact opposite of everything that Duke lost. Duke has his own demons, and every step toward Mallory reopens old wounds, and Farlow doesn't look away. She lets him hurt and I hurt right along with him. I love this story. Love it!
If you’ve read her other awesome romances, you already know that Farlow writes characters that make you feel. These two, they break your heart, and mend it at the same time. This is an angsty road to their HEAs and I could not look away.
The story is exactly what the title says, it might be a confession from both Duke and Mallory: 'Here is the Best of Me, take it, but don’t hurt me.' And everything unfolds in such pretty language, deep and emotional turns. There are family and friends, and a rich charm to the atmosphere. And I believe she’s carved out a unique quirky southern ladies clatch, and I can’t wait to read more of it.
All the stars, Farlow's best yet.
KC Caron
Aphrodites Reading Alphas
Best of Me is an emotional rollercoaster of desire and discovery, steeped in a crushing small town bubble of love and loss. Mallory and Duke will stay with you long after you finish. It’s so damn good.
Best of Me is a page turner, with the right kind of angst, starring deeply wounded lovers that upends the usual second chance small town hero tropes. It’s all because LK Farlow has a knack for writing ordinary people dealing with extraordinary loss and insecurities. I already knew that, but this book, it's a huge leap. Farlow is a talented romance writer. The more I read the more I love.
I won't rehash the blurb, it says it all. However Duke and Mallory are wonderful. I choked up so many times reading this. They want to be together, but they hurt each other and soothe each other in ways no one else could understand.
A skittish passionate young woman, Mallory—a great lead with enough backstory to feed several books—has so much to give, love, friendship, wisdom (even fashion tips) but no one to give herself to. She's lived a life in the shadows, and she hides her unearned shame well. I love her, she's an amazing invention. Mallory is dark and keeps to herself, going so far as to dress for battle, to ward people away. The isolation makes sense because she’s written as a complicated woman, not least of all because her family history holds her back. Sigh, she moved me, so much. Of course Duke feels an immediate connection. However, in a great twist, Mallory is the exact opposite of everything that Duke lost. Duke has his own demons, and every step toward Mallory reopens old wounds, and Farlow doesn't look away. She lets him hurt and I hurt right along with him. I love this story. Love it!
If you’ve read her other awesome romances, you already know that Farlow writes characters that make you feel. These two, they break your heart, and mend it at the same time. This is an angsty road to their HEAs and I could not look away.
The story is exactly what the title says, it might be a confession from both Duke and Mallory: 'Here is the Best of Me, take it, but don’t hurt me.' And everything unfolds in such pretty language, deep and emotional turns. There are family and friends, and a rich charm to the atmosphere. And I believe she’s carved out a unique quirky southern ladies clatch, and I can’t wait to read more of it.
All the stars, Farlow's best yet.
KC Caron
Aphrodites Reading Alphas
Read
August 22, 2019LK Farlow delivers a solid read, once again, with Best of Me. I was originally intrigued with the slightly “forbidden” nature of Duke’s and Mallory’s relationship and how each of them would face the aftermath of losing Valorie.
Farlow tackled the subject matter with grace, and the characters’ emotional states offer the readers a glimpse into how two people can connect through shared grief and, more importantly, BEYOND their grief. This quote in particular stood out for me: “Everyone grieves differently and heals at different speeds. There’s no right or wrong way, and there’s definitely no rulebook. You have to honor what feels right for you and your process. And if anyone judges you for it, then forget them. You don’t need them anyway.” That line resonated with me and my own experiences with loss.
This isn’t a depressing novel by any means, despite what the first part of my review makes it sound like. I LOVED watching the relationship progress from Duke’s instinctive protectiveness over Mallory to them bonding over caffeine choices and books, and then finding a connection beyond Valorie’s memory. There were several opportunities for a storyline like this to derail into insensitive territory, but the characters were realistic and genuine and kept it on track. Duke was so respectful and sweet and, HOT DAMN, his and Mallory’s chemistry was off the charts. The push and pull and internal wars they fought with each other and themselves was so delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
“I’ve never been anyone’s first choice, but you. Called. Me.” —sigh.
Farlow tackled the subject matter with grace, and the characters’ emotional states offer the readers a glimpse into how two people can connect through shared grief and, more importantly, BEYOND their grief. This quote in particular stood out for me: “Everyone grieves differently and heals at different speeds. There’s no right or wrong way, and there’s definitely no rulebook. You have to honor what feels right for you and your process. And if anyone judges you for it, then forget them. You don’t need them anyway.” That line resonated with me and my own experiences with loss.
This isn’t a depressing novel by any means, despite what the first part of my review makes it sound like. I LOVED watching the relationship progress from Duke’s instinctive protectiveness over Mallory to them bonding over caffeine choices and books, and then finding a connection beyond Valorie’s memory. There were several opportunities for a storyline like this to derail into insensitive territory, but the characters were realistic and genuine and kept it on track. Duke was so respectful and sweet and, HOT DAMN, his and Mallory’s chemistry was off the charts. The push and pull and internal wars they fought with each other and themselves was so delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
“I’ve never been anyone’s first choice, but you. Called. Me.” —sigh.
August 20, 2019
Second chance at love with someone new? Check. Painful past for one or both main characters? Check. Angst that makes me want to cry while not being able to put the iPad down? Check. A beautiful HEA and epilogue to make me whole again? Check.
Duke and Mallory had such a rough start. While Duke knew Mallory from his past, he never really KNEW Mallory. He only knew what people wanted him to see, which leads to some serious “he needs a high-five to the face with a brick” moments. Then Duke finally sees the truth of Mallory and the place she’s been taught that she has in the world. And everything changes.
Mallory has always liked Duke, though she knew that he likely never felt anything near “like” for her. Maybe indifference at best, but not like. She’s carrying enough pain and defeat and guilt to choke a lesser woman, but she never lets that beat her. Instead, she carries on with her head held as high as she can and makes a point to avoid causing others pain.
Once Duke decides that he’s going to get to the heart of Mallory and let himself live (and love) again, they both help each other find their way to true happiness. There are some pretty sizable bumps in the road, but everyone knows that difficulties build character...and both Duke and Mallory have character by the truckload by their HEA. I was only sad to hit the end of their story because I didn’t want to walk away from them or their group of friends. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!
Duke and Mallory had such a rough start. While Duke knew Mallory from his past, he never really KNEW Mallory. He only knew what people wanted him to see, which leads to some serious “he needs a high-five to the face with a brick” moments. Then Duke finally sees the truth of Mallory and the place she’s been taught that she has in the world. And everything changes.
Mallory has always liked Duke, though she knew that he likely never felt anything near “like” for her. Maybe indifference at best, but not like. She’s carrying enough pain and defeat and guilt to choke a lesser woman, but she never lets that beat her. Instead, she carries on with her head held as high as she can and makes a point to avoid causing others pain.
Once Duke decides that he’s going to get to the heart of Mallory and let himself live (and love) again, they both help each other find their way to true happiness. There are some pretty sizable bumps in the road, but everyone knows that difficulties build character...and both Duke and Mallory have character by the truckload by their HEA. I was only sad to hit the end of their story because I didn’t want to walk away from them or their group of friends. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!
March 18, 2020
So I’m just coming out of a slump and I was READY for this!
But not really.
I was prepared for ALL THE EMOTIONS. I WANTED TO CRY LIKE A FREAKING BABY!
But I didn’t.
And I’m really sad about it.
Is that weird? I’m sad that a book didn’t make me cry?
Anywho.
I felt the emotions. I was in the story with them but it just didn’t... destroy me like I wanted.
I had such high expectations for this so I think that’s why I’m kind of... disappointed.
But it was good book. It kept me interested.
I honestly don’t think this trope is for me though. But LK Farlow made me enjoy it.
**REREAD MARCH 2020**
TBH, I think I liked it better the second time... 🤔
Who woulda thunk it?!
But not really.
I was prepared for ALL THE EMOTIONS. I WANTED TO CRY LIKE A FREAKING BABY!
But I didn’t.
And I’m really sad about it.
Is that weird? I’m sad that a book didn’t make me cry?
Anywho.
I felt the emotions. I was in the story with them but it just didn’t... destroy me like I wanted.
I had such high expectations for this so I think that’s why I’m kind of... disappointed.
But it was good book. It kept me interested.
I honestly don’t think this trope is for me though. But LK Farlow made me enjoy it.
**REREAD MARCH 2020**
TBH, I think I liked it better the second time... 🤔
Who woulda thunk it?!
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