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My Review:Title: Beard with Me
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #6
Published by: Indie
Release Date: September 16, 2019
Format: Kindle Book, eARC
Pages: 500
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Coming of Age
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »
Source: Social Butterfly PR
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2019 New Release Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:
Blurb:‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story.
No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching.
Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart . . . except when it comes to Billy Winston.
No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances—because nothing is beyond his control—is Billy’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, he’d be the first person on earth to lead others to safety, overcome catastrophe, or die trying.
Billy is fearless, Billy is disciplined, and Billy is honorable . . . except when it comes to Scarlet St. Claire.
I received a free copy through Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — I’m having a hard time getting my thoughts together and out of my head, this book just shook me like that.
I didn’t bawl in like I was expecting to…and I think all the warnings and such made me wary of this book, so my reading of it was very drawn out. But I FELT SO FUCKING MUCH IN MY HEART. Like my heart physically ached. My mind was at war with the things that were happening to Scarlet and Billy, and it was just so hard to read. But at the same time, I ADORED it. I didn’t want it to end. I want Beard Necessities to be OUT NOW, b/c I need resolution. I’m in full on book hangover mode because of this book. I just sit here and stare around blankly. UGH.
Scarlet and Billy were BOTH characters that just attacked my heart and latched on easily. Which is interesting, b/c they are BOTH so very flawed. But flaws which I understood. Flaws which made sense given their upbringing.
Scarlet was this beautiful bright soul that had accepted a very meager existence for herself. She was STUBBORN beyond belief, and being only 14, she could be a bit blind to some other things going on. But I loved her all the same. I wanted her life to improve. I cheered over the emotions and hopes she felt with Billy. Seeing the war within herself just made it all so real.
And Billy…oh god Billy. I don’t think I ever really knew what to make of Billy in previous books. I had inklings of him, but until you see inside his head, I don’t think you really *know*, you know? He had SUCH a big heart, and so much love for his family. And his sense of right and wrong, and justice, and his gravitational pull towards taking responsibility for the ones he loves was just MASSIVE. It blinded him in some ways. Like, he had such a narrow focus, trying to help his family not just survive but thrive. And thus, he could be very black and white sometimes…though when he felt emotions, he went ALL IN. Including hate and jealousy. I really want to go back and reread the series from the start again, to see how the revelations I found in this book manifest in the other brothers’s books. (but saying that, I DO NOT recommend you read this book first…I feel like you wouldn’t get the most out of it if you went that direction)
The chemistry between Scarlet and Billy was just…it pulled me in as it was pulling them together. I knew how it was going to end, and that made the happiness so bittersweet. They were music together.
Yeah. I could probably say more, but I’m not sure it matters to anyone but me. I LOVE this series. I love the crazy beautiful flawed characters we meet and fall in love with. I love the Winston family, and my heart just can’t take all that they go through. And this book just fit in perfectly, filling in those cracks that I so desperately wanted filled (even if I didn’t know I wanted them filled), but not feeling like a bonus book, but a book that stands on its own two feet. It lived up to my very high expectations, and has only made my longing for a HEA for Billy and Scarlet that much stronger.
Yep. I completely agree with you! I loved this book and I need the next one like NOW!