Say You’ll Be There

Love in Seven Mile Forge #2

by Billie Dale

From award winning author Billie Dale comes a second chance love story muddling the line between love and hate. As young love goes Joey and Preslee were perfect but nothing last forever and the world is ready for the taking. Dale’s sassy wit shines in comedic fashion with Say You’ll Be There, book two in Love in Seven Mile Forge.

At sixteen, Joey Holmes handed me his heart.

At eighteen, I threw it at the Now Leaving Seven Mile Forge sign on my way out of town.

A silly teenage game of seven minutes in heaven spiraled us from friends to more.

We shared our firsts. Loved with the innocence of immaturity.

I wanted out. A fresh start far away from our tiny home town. Joey didn’t care where we were so long as we were together. I couldn’t spread my wings without clipping his. My heart told me I was doing what was best when I left him broken in my rearview mirror.

With a threat breathing down my neck, I’m forced to return home but Joey isn’t the skinny boy I knew. Nope, now he’s the sexiest Chief of Police in three states and he hates the very air I breathe.

Can the hot cop keep me safe from the danger lurking in the shadows or will the bleached bones of the skeletons in my closet be our tragic end?

**Say You’ll Be There is the second book in the series Love in Seven Mile Forge. While it might be helpful to read Wannabe More (the first book in the series) it is not necessary.**

*Trigger Warning - While full of laughs and smiles there is a darker element involving stalking.*

367 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2020

About the author

Billie grew up, lives and is lost in Indiana. In the smallest of small towns that is not even worth mentioning.  She has 4 children, two dogs, a cat and a husband that deals with a house full of females. He is the perfect book boyfriend and her inspiration.  
She spends her time reading, constantly reading, swimming, procrastinating, playing in photoshop and writing. Any other free time is spent with her amazingly sexy, tattooed, serious arm porn having husband, who is the best husband on the planet and her best friend.   She loves to live inside the fantasy world that only books can provide and the voices in her head are her chosen confidants.

Reviews

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book in this amazing series and is Joey and Preslee’s story. These two were high school sweethearts until Preslee thought she was doing the right things and left town leaving Joey behind. Now with a stalker whose violence is escalating Preslee returns home for her best friend’s wedding and hopefully escape her long-term stalker. This story has some amazing secondary characters which add to the entertainment value if this story. This is a beautifully written story which is intriguing, emotional, and with suspense, twists, and love which all lead to a humorous and all-consuming read. I highly recommend for all readers.

[Jeanne Kotsios · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooked me from the get go I just couldn’t put it down I fell in love with these characters and omg what a story just a perfect read.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Darcy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Smokes! This is one magnificent story. This story has so many twists and turns throughout it. There are some real life issues throughout the story that pulls you in and keeps you so very engaged with it. I loved Preslee and Joey. They have such chemistry and great personalities. Their banter back and forth have you laughing at times and feeling their pain at other times. This is a stunning story that you just can’t put down. The characters from the first story add an amazing touch to it. This is definitely a must read and definitely a must feel.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved being back in the Seven Mile Forge world. Billie Dale has an amazing writing style and this book did not disappoint.

This second helping of Seven Mile Forge focuses on Preslee and Joey. They were friends growing up becoming lovers in highschool. However, one of these very stubborn individuals decided they needed to grow up and spread their wings, leaving the other to flounder and suffer.

So what we get here is an awesome second chance romance. Preslee and Joey have amazing chemistry and sooo similar! The snarky banter between them and of course all of the amazing secondary characters had me laughing. But, a second chance at happiness is not all that is happening in this story. We have stalking! We have destruction! Who is it? Well you will have to read the book to find out.

Preslee and Joey are two characters ( especially Joey) that I will be thinking about for days to come. Loved it! 4.5 stars.

[Wanda Jewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me warn you now, don't start reading this book late in the evening, otherwise you will be up all night reading it. I know I was up until 5 a.m. reading to the finish. This book has a lot going on in it. It speaks from the perspective of both Joey and Preslee. There is a lot of inter-dialog, but it all goes into making the story suck you in. High school sweethearts meet again after 10 years apart. There are a lot of relatives and friends in this book who are integral to the story. The characters are all wonderful. The escalating violence of the stalker is the reason Preslee returns home. The stalker eludes everyone until right at the end. I LOVED the book and I would highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen Hrdlicka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preslee's and Joey's story is amazing. It's everything I look for in a read I can't put down. First it's one of my favorite tropes, second chance romance with an added layer of suspense. Add in great characters, a hot mess heroine who has been under a stalker's thumb for years, a protective ex and her shielding tribe of friends, and a sweet little boy and you have the perfect ingredients for an awesome romantic suspense, second chance love story.
Preslee left Seven Mile Forge to chase her dream in California after high school, leaving a broken hearted boyfriend and a piece of her heart behind. She thought she was doing the right thing by leaving him behind, thinking he didn't have a plan for anything in his life but her. To say the intervening years were hard is an understatement. Joey lost himself in risky behaviors and Preslee had a long-term stalker. Returning home to help her best friend with her wedding also helps her hide from the stalker but she can't hide from the long arm of the law, who is now Joey.
What follows her arrival is a great story filled with characters the reader knows if they've read Wanna Be More and all the emotions a reader's heart can handle. Billie Dale excels at great character banter and humor. She adds in all the feels and tugs at the reader's heart with Joey's son and the passion and chemistry between Joey and Preslee. Just for good measure she weaves a story of intrigue and suspense that at it's climax about stopped my heart. So grab your e-reader, a warm blanket and curl up with Joey and Preslee's bumpy journey to their HEA.

[DS Book Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW I loved this so much! This was a new author for me and definitely won’t be the last!
This was a Second chance read with a suspense twist.
Destined school lovers who separate before the relationship is ready to end.
A stalker who follows Preslee for 6 years enough to warrant security guards following her to ensure her safety

After years of leaving her home town Preslee returns only to run into her old flame Joey and discovers a man in place of the boy she once knew and now he is hotter and even more gorgeous than before.

There connection and chemistry is still off the charts and even when they fight the attraction they still have for one another they are still drawn together.

Creedon is gross , so is Paris his partner in crime. They made me cringe 😬 I loved this book so much and kept me engaged the whole time.
5 stars 🌟

[Tina Layner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book very much. It had me in suspense until the end. When Preslee dumped Joey to go to California she thought she was doing it for him. Joey turned to alcohol to ease his pain of losing her. Years later, she moves back home because of a stalker that wants to have her as his own. Joey gets his act together and becomes chief of police. As time goes by, they put their pasts behind them so they can stop her stalker from killing her. Will these two get together in the end or go their separate ways? You must read the book to find out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is billed as a romantic comedy and it certainly does have its moments but it addressed such serious issues that it was a hard in-depth read for me. The issue of stalking in today’s world is real and, quite frankly, terrifying, with law enforcement unable to do much for victims until it is too late.

I had great sympathy for the female lead as she tried to go about her life whilst living under the dark cloud of a stalker who had persisted over many years.

The male lead was also well written, with real concerns understandable based on their history.

The relationship development in the face of their challenges was a delight to follow and the supporting love of secondary characters was beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book. It is is dual POV, well written and edited, but it is definitely something I had to be in the right headspace to read. It’s not light and fluffy even though it is a romantic comedy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lori Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Seven Miles Forge gang! Preslee and Joey finally confront their real feelings while searching for her stalker. The nicknames they have for each other and the snarky sarcasm is great. There is lots of trepidation, fear and suspense between the humor. Looking forward to Hendrix story.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book two of Love In Seven Mile Forge. This book while it has it’s light moments it also deals with a very real issue of stalking and the dangers and the toll it takes on it’s victim and those around them.

Let me say the ladies from Seven Mile Forge know how to keep a secret both Preslee and Samantha.

Preslee/Elvis and Joey/Josiah were high school sweethearts before Preslee left and tore Joey’s heart from his chest. She has returned home to help her bestie Sam/Samantha from Wannabe More (book 1) of this series prepare for her wedding. To say that she has a major mountain to climb with all of the town folks judging and finding her lacking to having to face Joey after all these years, is an understatement.

For me the beginning of the book was a slow burn, we had to weather the anger and frustration that Joey was inundating Preslee with. The author also tried to balance giving enough backstory for you to sort of catch on to these characters while still keeping those who had read book 1 from being bored with rehashing old issues. Plus a host of minor characters from the previous book now had bigger roles. Let’s not forget the stalker that has been terrifying Preslee for the last 7 years. So a lot had to be established before the story could go into present full swing mode.

Once Joey worked through some of his anger and he and Preslee reconnected the heat factor ratcheted up by a thousand degrees.

Love this authors sense of humor which bleeds through when the two leads respective body parts get in on the dialogue. I think snort laughed a bunch of times when those happened.

We can’t forget little Cash, Joey’s son, who adds his own charm to an already full cast of characters.

Things can get a bit crazy, with some of the nicknames being interchanged with what the characters are called by one person to the next, the walks down memory lane, the sassy snark, the stomach acid churn from the stalker, hearts breaking again, friendships being made, surprising twists and turns and some pain on the horizon for other cast members.

So while I loved revisiting with the cast from Seven Mile Forge, this book didn’t pull me in as much as book 1 did so for me it’s a low 4.5 rating.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Up All Night With Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Support Group
Up All Night With Books Blog

Say You'll Be There is the second book in the Love in Seven Mile Forge series by Billie Dale and I absolutely love this story just as much as book 1. As they are separate couple stories, and probably be able to read them as standalone I HIGHLY recommend that you read them in order. There is just too much intertwining of these characters.

Book 2 is all about Joey and Preslee. And the second these two characters meet up in the story the chemistry just jumps off the pages. But what I just love about this story is the banter, the song inserts, the storyline, and just about everything about it.

Once again we get the second chances, high school romance with a whole lotta suspense thrown in with Joey and Preslee. As we met them and their cuteness in book 1, this story picks up after college a situation has brought Preslee home for the first time in years. But as she is driving into town she is pulled over by the man she left behind and who is now the Chief of Police, Joey. And that is just the start of this wild and crazy, emotional rollercoaster of a story.

There are so many twists and turns I had no idea what direction we were reading at the time. I was gripping my nook wanting to, WTH, or something a little worse.

Another thing about this series that I just love is the little details that are added. glasses are mentioned but never forgotten, little bits and pieces or situations about them throughout the book. Sometimes authors make a mention of something or an object and then it's gone, not with Billie Dale, she wraps things around and twists them throughout the story. BRILLIANT.

I can't wait to read book 3!!!!

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review***

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are lots of emotions in this one, very realistic and adding to the quality of the story for the reader who vividly experiences both the good and the bad emotions that are stirred up.

The story begins with high school sweethearts, Preslee and Joey. Preslee at 18 decided she wanted out and she decided to leave town to find her future. Joey loved her and just wanted them to be together. But she couldn’t grow and reach her potential with him holding her back, so she left in spite of the pain she caused him.

Ten years later, a vicious stalker compels her to return home where she can find protection and safety. But the boy she left behind is no longer the same as she remembered. Joey is the Chief of Police now and he still hates the very air she breathes. Is he going to be able to overcome his pain and anger to keep her safe from the escalating violence of the stalker? Will they want a second chance to explore their own relationship now that Preslee has had her opportunity to “stretch her wings” and return home? Can he forgive what she put him through?

The characters in this book are wonderful, even the secondary characters contributing to the story. The pacing is appropriate to keep the reader interested and invested in the outcome. The twists and turns raise the suspense and allow the reader to experience the tension and recognize the danger. Grab your copy and see if Joey and Preslee’s relationship still carries a spark, despite the dire situation they are dealing with now.

[jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 // I’ve never read a book where I like the authors writing style but also want to throw the book across the room every other page flip. This book needs a content warning. Save for the stalker hint in the book blurb on Amazon, there’s nothing. In the beginning of the book the FMCs cat is killed by her stalker and it’s blood smeared all over her home. That alone deserves a content warning.

Barring that, the author made me laugh out loud. A lot. Which is a hard thing to elicit from me as it rarely translates to laughter on my end. She also wields metaphors like a blade.

But she drones on too much with inner monologues, repetitive phrases, and some version of the word mint dropped 22 times in a 300 page book. Always have someone proof your book for patterns in writing. Plus, I struggled to like the FMC. I liked her better later in the book but initially not so much. She was too foolish and waited too long to alert people of the danger not only to her but to them once her stalker begins using their names to spook her. But I’m interested in trying another book of hers and hoping for more enchantment, less frustration next round.

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blame train isn't a one-seater...

Preslee broke Joey's heart when she left town without him. Seven years later, she has a serious stalker, so shes back in Seven Mile Forge to regroup and try to stay safe. Joey is the acting police chief, and single dad to adorable Cash. He's never forgiven her for leaving him behind. Someone needs to tell his heart that he hates her. This is an incredible book, a great follow up to Wannabe More. I would suggest reading the earlier book first, as it introduces many of the town's characters, along with the story of Sammy Lee and Mazric, who are planning their wedding. The stalker's identity is a complete shock and surprise. I just love Preslee and Joey together - they're on a slow, slow burn, with a ton of snarky banter. Cash, Joey's son, is just the cutest thing ever, and I love that he calls Preslee "Elvis" and she calls him "Johnny". The action near the end of the book is quite intense, and part of it sets up Hendrix' story for (I hope) the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preslee and Joey were close friends as young kids which turned into love as teenagers, but ended in heartbreak when Preslee wanted out of their small town. See, he would have gone anywhere with her, but she truly believed it was better for him not to so she left him heartbroken when she got out of there. Now in the present day, she's in danger which forces her to come home, and her childhood sweetheart is now really yummy, the sheriff, and doesn't want anything to do with her. This starts up the slow burn second chance portion of the program since things aren't going to be easy. I have to say that their banter was snarky & hilarious so I did do quite a bit of laughing hard, and the sparks were definitely still there. And don't forget the danger that brought her home, it provides some f-bomb worthy twists for real. This story was AWESOME, and I never wanted it to end, so don't miss out! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine returns home with danger following her and her former flame in front of her. Can then mend the fences that were broken in the past, or will her future be cut short?

This is book two of the series, but it is written as a standalone. No prior reading is required.

This is something of a romantic suspense story with a second chance theme. Or perhaps it is the other way around. Hard to tell as the two are tightly wrapped together. Speaking of tightly wrapped, both are hero and heroine are a bit on the stubborn side, as well as snarky and, well you get the picture. They are too much alike for their own good, but the chemistry between the is unmistakable. The story is well written and easy to read, with healthy doses of both danger and humor mixed in, making for a heady mixture. Overall, the story was great fun and goes by fast. I look forward to more in this series.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author thru Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review. Joey and Preslee were young sweethearts. Their plans for the future pull them apart and she leaves. Years later she comes back to her home town. She has trouble that is following her. Help should come from law enforcement but now Joey is the law. He does not think very much of Preslee even if the attraction is still strong. She learns that she may have burned her bridges. He has to keep her safe if they are going to figure out their past and future. This story has suspense, danger, drama, a little humor and lots of sparks between the characters. I thought it was well written. I will look forward to reading more books written by Billie

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy Gittleson Hendrickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preslee and Joey grew up together and forged a romance in high school, but Preslee left to search for something else instead of the small town they lived in, leaving Joey with a broken heart. Now back, with a stalker on her heels, he does not want anything to do with her... at first. The characters are terrific with great backstories. The romance starts to skyrocket again after the shake-up of seeing each other again. The banter and comedy keeps the story lighthearted, but the suspense of danger and other twists keep the pages turning until you are done. A definitely great read and it will give you a lot of smiles and out loud chuckles.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alicia Harrietha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joey and Preslee...young love, high school sweethearts and in Joeys heart, meant to be together forever. Unfortunately for Preslee she couldn’t get out of her small town fast enough. When circumstances changed and Preslee found herself back home tears later she wasn’t prepared for her Joey to be the sexiest man in town!! Stories like this are always the same but I swear I eat them up every time. The element in this book that really put this into the must read, five star category was the twists and turns. Yes the book had quick wit, awesome banter and swoon worthy moments but the suspense in the darker dude if the story really gave this book dimension and I was completely hooked. So well done. Going to have to go and read the first book in the series now.

[Lynall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mystery thriller romance with a returning small town heroine. The ex boyfriend, Joey, just gave me the irrits because he was a whiny wimp, boohoo, she broke my heart, and I’ve never gotten over it type. Preslee is being stalked, and she goes home to hide, and meets up with her ex. This thrilling story is exciting and very hard to put down. It is full of exciting action and drama that I wasn’t expecting. I adored all of the characters, I loved the way the story developed, and the ending is good in some ways I did not see coming, but her brother needs a kick. And I hope he gets his happy ever after in the next book. fabulous book and I would love to read the next in the series.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preslee and Joey were high school sweethearts. Preslee thought she was doing the right thing and left town, leaving Joey behind as well.
Joey was devastated when Preslee left but finally got his life on track again
Now Preslee has a stalker that is getting worse and worse so with her best friend’s wedding Preslee decides to return to her hometown, and Joey isn’t the boy she left behind his all man.
The chemistry they had before is still there, finally they work through what happened all those years ago, but they haven’t worked out who Preslee’s stalker is and until they do she’ll never be safe.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seven Miles Forge, you'll visit and want to stay for every single word.

I loved how real the main characters were! Real issues that aren't glossed over.

Loved the dialogue, the intrigue, the steam!

Can these two find their way back to each other? I was rooting for these two. So many darn struggles they deserved an HEA.

Love the secondary characters and can't wait for my next visit!

I received an advanced reader copy, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

[Teri Ruscak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say You'll Be There: A Second Chance Romance (Love In Seven Mile Forge Book 2)
Billie Dale
This is my first book in this series, and it can be read as a standalone.
Joey and Preslee loved each other since they were young, but Preslee left town to spread her wings, breaking Joey's heart.
Ten years later she's back, with trouble following her, and now Joey is the law. Can he help and protect her? Will they get back together?
I loved this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that I enjoyed. I loved Joey and Preslee they were an amazing couple that I loved watching them grow together. This is a second chance romance, they were friends and than lovers in high school feeling the they needed to grow and spread their wings they left the other to figure things out. Tens years later she's back with a stalker and he's now the chief of police with a chip on his shoulder. I loved their banter and snarky behavior together, I can't wait to read more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vedika Sheth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has a slow build but it turns out good. The suspense is exciting and fun to read. I, as in myself, probably wouldn’t buy this book because of the slow build and because it was a little difficult to connect with the characters. It just wasn’t my style. It absolutely could be yours but if I were you, I would read a couple more reviews and see what they said.

I wrote this voluntary review in exchange for an ARC copy.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say You'll Be There: A Second Chance Romance (Love In Seven Mile Forge Book 2) by Billie Dale is a great story to read. This is book number two in this great second chance romance series that I have really enjoyed reading. I recommend this story to everyone who likes reading about second chance romance stories.

I read a complimentary Advanced Reader Copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story though it took a while to get going. I found Preslee and Joey steamy as a couple though it took them a long time to work things out between them to get their second chance at love together. The danger surrounding Preslee gave the story an extra boost, and I can say I did not see it actually coming. The friends were good support and fun. Overall, I liked the book.

I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow build-up second chance romance between Joey and Preslee, who dated in their teens.
The characters were likable, their banter and snarky comments kept the story fun, there's a stalker, some alcohol, and risky behaviors with an adorable kid in the mix.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I've read written by Billie Dale; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.