Title: The Beauty of Grace
Series: She's Beautiful Series #1
Author: Nicole Richard
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: November 5, 2015
At age eighteen, Grace Bowman's life crumbled right in front of her. The man who held her heart—her forever—was gone, and her family ties were in tatters. As a result, she forged a steel wall round her heart and vowed never to let anyone get close again.
Now, six years later, she has been given a chance to start fresh in Savannah, Georgia. A chance to leave the struggle of day-to-day life behind, find a career, and give Drew, her five year old son, a shot at normal.
A balloon and a flat tire had her crossing paths with AJ Watson, and she realized normal probably wasn’t in her cards.
AJ was handsome, thoughtful, and fiercely loyal to his family. Yet, behind his baby-blue eyes and Southern boy charm, he was just as broken as she was. She told herself to stay away from him, and she tried, but the lines between friendship and lover are blurred.
When Grace realizes history may be repeating itself, will she be able to let go of the past, or will she walk away from her future?
“I thought you and Drew were watching television?” I asked, looking up over my shoulder.
“Yeah, but the little guy fell asleep, so I put him in his bed.” That was when we looked at each other, and I saw a flash of panic in his eyes. “I hope that was okay?”
Swallowing the imaginary lump in my throat, I wasn’t sure what to say to that. Are friends usually this nice and helpful? “Thank you. That was kind of you.” I went back to washing the remaining dishes.
“That was really kind of you teaching Drew how to be a gentleman, too,” I mentioned as I scrubbed the rim from Drew’s favorite cup. Again looking up, I felt the weight of my next words. “Drew’s never had a male figure present in his life before.”
“What about his daddy?” He questioned, carefully tangling the dishtowel in his hands.
Not ready to hash old wounds just yet, I shrugged, trying to play it off.
Not being able to look at him again, I dropped the dish into the soapy water in front of me. A frantic feeling set in, looking the other way in search of a towel to dry my hands with, a lone tear rolled down the side of my face. I rubbed my cheek against my shoulder, and AJ softly grabbed the top of my arm turning me toward him.
I kept my face down, and he wrapped me up in his arms, kissing the top of my head before resting his chin there, and whispering, “I’m sorry, Grace.”
As he held me, I enjoyed the comfort his arms offered and pressed my cheek to his warm muscular chest.
“Hey.” He touched my arm. “I’m here for you, anything you need. We’re friends, Grace, that’s what friends do.” He offered gently. Laying both my palms flat on his chest, I pushed back a little so I could look into his eyes and gulped.
“Friends, right.” I turned away intending to finish the job I had set out to do. Maybe busy hands would help lessen the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t know why AJ’s words made me feel that way, but they did.
The tension in the air sparked, I didn’t know what to say in fear I’d say something I shouldn’t, or worse, would regret. Instead, I grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and raised it up in silent offering. His lips pursed into a straight line and his eyes narrowed for a second, before he shook his head declining.
AJ stepped closer to me, closing in the distance and my heart rate sped up. My eyes locked on his mouth as his tongue darted out wetting his lips. A twinkle flashed in his eyes. He held my chin between his thumb and index finger, bringing it up just a bit before he dipped his head and kissed my lips. AJ’s soft tongue licked my bottom lip, but surprisingly he didn’t take it any further. Taking a step back, he slid his hands into his front pockets and his shoulders slightly hunched over.
“Well . . . thank you for dinner, but it’s getting late. I should head out.”
Stunned, I glanced up at him. “Okay, let me walk you out.” I knew I said the words, but the only thing I could focus on was the ghost of heat he left on my lips.
“Yeah, but the little guy fell asleep, so I put him in his bed.” That was when we looked at each other, and I saw a flash of panic in his eyes. “I hope that was okay?”
Swallowing the imaginary lump in my throat, I wasn’t sure what to say to that. Are friends usually this nice and helpful? “Thank you. That was kind of you.” I went back to washing the remaining dishes.
“That was really kind of you teaching Drew how to be a gentleman, too,” I mentioned as I scrubbed the rim from Drew’s favorite cup. Again looking up, I felt the weight of my next words. “Drew’s never had a male figure present in his life before.”
“What about his daddy?” He questioned, carefully tangling the dishtowel in his hands.
Not ready to hash old wounds just yet, I shrugged, trying to play it off.
Not being able to look at him again, I dropped the dish into the soapy water in front of me. A frantic feeling set in, looking the other way in search of a towel to dry my hands with, a lone tear rolled down the side of my face. I rubbed my cheek against my shoulder, and AJ softly grabbed the top of my arm turning me toward him.
I kept my face down, and he wrapped me up in his arms, kissing the top of my head before resting his chin there, and whispering, “I’m sorry, Grace.”
As he held me, I enjoyed the comfort his arms offered and pressed my cheek to his warm muscular chest.
“Hey.” He touched my arm. “I’m here for you, anything you need. We’re friends, Grace, that’s what friends do.” He offered gently. Laying both my palms flat on his chest, I pushed back a little so I could look into his eyes and gulped.
“Friends, right.” I turned away intending to finish the job I had set out to do. Maybe busy hands would help lessen the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t know why AJ’s words made me feel that way, but they did.
The tension in the air sparked, I didn’t know what to say in fear I’d say something I shouldn’t, or worse, would regret. Instead, I grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and raised it up in silent offering. His lips pursed into a straight line and his eyes narrowed for a second, before he shook his head declining.
AJ stepped closer to me, closing in the distance and my heart rate sped up. My eyes locked on his mouth as his tongue darted out wetting his lips. A twinkle flashed in his eyes. He held my chin between his thumb and index finger, bringing it up just a bit before he dipped his head and kissed my lips. AJ’s soft tongue licked my bottom lip, but surprisingly he didn’t take it any further. Taking a step back, he slid his hands into his front pockets and his shoulders slightly hunched over.
“Well . . . thank you for dinner, but it’s getting late. I should head out.”
Stunned, I glanced up at him. “Okay, let me walk you out.” I knew I said the words, but the only thing I could focus on was the ghost of heat he left on my lips.
Nicole was born and raised in Hawaii, where she currently resides with her husband and teenage daughter and son.
At an adolescent age, she took a strong liking to reading and even had a pipe dream of writing her own book. Life and growing up had put reading on the far end back burner and recently came alive again.
A hopeless romantic, she has a love for romance novels, which she credits her late mother passing on to her and now an even stronger love to write her own stories.
When Nicole, isn’t working, writing or reading, she enjoys her chocolate frozen yogurt with mini Reese’s pieces addiction, Starbucks in moderation and a once-a-year (if she’s lucky) trip to visit her best friend in Vegas.
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ALPHA BOOK CLUB REVIEW
The Beauty of Grace: Book One in the She's Beautiful Series
by Nicole Richard
Synopsis
Grace Bowman's life crumbled right in front of her. The man who held her heart-her forever-was gone, and her family ties were in tatters. A balloon and a flat tire had her crossing paths with AJ Watson, and she realized normal probably wasn't in her cards. When Grace realizes history may be repeating itself, will she be able to let go of the past, or will she walk away from her future?
Review
4 Unshed Tears
This is a story of love, overcoming obstacles, and learning to trust. This is the story of Grace Bowman. She is a young woman that never seems to give up. At the age of 18 Grace finds herself pregnant. Her parent are mortified that not only is Grace pregnant, but the father of her child is a man that is well beneath their social situation. Andrew comes from a middle class family. Grace is expected to marry a man that Grace’s father deems acceptable for their station in life. Grace is given two options. Have an abortion and forget Andrew or be disowned by her father. Before Grace can tell Andrew of her condition, Andrew informs Grace that he has enlisted in the Marines. Grace never tells Andrew of the pregnancy. Days after the birth of her son, Grace learns that Andrew died in action the same day that the son he didn’t know about was born.
Five year later with the money that she got from the sale of Mercedes, Grace moves in with her loving Aunt Jackie. Jackie is the sister of Grace's dad and his complete opposite. Now Grace has the opportunity to bring up her son in a loving stable home. A chance meeting with AJ Watson has her wanting things that she has not wanted since Andrew left over five years ago, but AJ has his own dark past and can not commit to a relationship. Something about Grace and her son Drew has AJ questioning himself and he wants more.
I really did enjoy this story, but the build up kept building and then kept dragging out. Then the issues were resolved all at once. I think I would prefer more balance. Maybe it is just me. Maybe reading this book while giving out candy to trick-or-treaters every few minutes tainted my reading experience. I definitely recommend this book, maybe you will feel differently, please let me know.
ARC Provided by Enticing Journey Book Promotions. Honest review done by Mollien for Alpha Book Club without influence from publisher or author.
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