Fall in love with the sexy, funny, and heart wrenching Second Chance Romance USA Today bestselling author Christi Barth says will “knock you off your feet.”August Cruz is the only man I’ve ever loved.He’s the one who got away.He’s the one I totally screwed over.Now he’s standing on my doorstep, nine years later, but he’s not the only thing that turns up. My mother’s lost diary is in my hands, and … turns up. My mother’s lost diary is in my hands, and it might lead me to my father. A possibility I wished for one year ago, at my last birthday.
I have 36 hours to fulfill that wish.
I have 36 hours to drag August on a wild scavenger hunt.
I have 36 hours to protect my heart before I lose him again…because there’s something he’s not telling me.
36 HOUR DATE is a full-length, standalone second chance romance, previously titled LICKS. One-click your copy today!
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LICKS packs a hell of an emotional punch: sexy, funny, and at times heart-wrenching. I loved every moment!
Licks by Kelly Siskind
I don’t know where to begin to tell you how much I loved this book. It is a beautifully written story that will draw you into the characters and make you feel what they felt. Gwen life has never been easy and always felt like a burden even to her best friend August who she secretly loved. She always had low self esteem so when her friend Kayla told her “you drag him down, you’re too needy, he pities you.” She pulled away from him and stopped taking and texting him thinking he would be better off.She never knew her father and spent most of her life looking for him. Even on her mother’s death bed she refused to tell her his name. A year and a half later on her 19th birthday she couldn’t stay away from August any more so she started looking at his Facebook and she text him. Unfortunately while texting back and forth she saw something on Facebook that devastated her and that changed their lives and others. August shows back up in Gwen’s life 9 years later after the death of her mother and just before her birthday. Gwens birthday wish from last year was to find her father before her next birthday. Her time is running out when unusual clues brings her closer to her goal or do they? August and Gwen both have their own demons to overcome. Can they learn to forgive themselves and each other? Don’t miss out on this amazing story that will be on my top reads of 2018!
Top read of 2018!
This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it was such a great read. I enjoyed Gwen, Finn, August, Ainsley, Rachel, Owen and Jenny’s characters. This is a friends to lovers romance with drama, betrayal, family secrets, regrets, friendships and learning to forgive. Text messages leads to a night of regrets and betrayal, one death leads to the search for family and that search ends with a surprise no one will see coming. This book was a good read with steamy scenes, great characters and a sweet ending. I definitely felt the chemistry between Gwen and Finn from the very beginning and loved the moments they shared; no matter how hard some of those moments were but they definitely had to face the facts of what happened and they all made mistakes. There were a few things in the story that seemed a bit repetitive but overall, it was a great read that I think romance readers will enjoy. I definitely look forward to reading more of this authors books and I would love to see Finn have his own story.
4.5*
With Licks, Kelly Siskind has combined two of my favorite tropes- childhood friends-to-lovers and second chance romance, to give us an exhilarating, heartwarming, and emotional story that hit me right in the feels. August and Gwen were the best of friends growing up, but, due to a series of really unfortunate events and choices, became estranged 9 years ago. The death of Gwen’s mother brings August back into her life, and for the next 36 hours, as August assists Gwen as she seeks to find her father, all the pain, hurt, and love they’ve experienced is laid bare.
Before Sunrise is one of my favorite movies, and I kept thinking about it while I was reading Licks. Unlike Jesse and Celine though, Gwen and August have a lot of history, but like their movie counterparts they’re really just getting to know each other as adults. And just as it was for Jesse and Celine, it’s a race against the clock for Gwen and August, with lots to uncover, before time runs out on them.
I really loved the journey Ms. Siskind takes Gwen on. It’s so much more than just a story of a girl trying to find her father. It ends up being a journey of discovery, as she uncovers things about not just her father, but of herself and her mother- things that cause her to rethink everything she thought she knew. And all the while, she and August are getting to know each other all over again, opening old wounds, and healing themselves in the process.
Gwen, strong, vulnerable, kickass Gwen. What a tough, crazy, overwhelming 36 hour whirlwind she survived! She holds things so close to the vest, I’m glad she has friends like Rachel and Ainsley to open up to. And let’s not forget Jimmy and Owen! Even though August was their friend first, I loved how they had her back.
And gosh how I loved August. Even with the secret that he was keeping I couldn’t help but fall for him! He and Gwen were made to be together, from the moment she stuffed grass in his shirt.
Licks was such an entertaining, heartfelt, engaging read. I’m pretty sure I said this about the Over the Top series, but I’m sad to see this one come to an end. I’ve so enjoyed getting to know Rachel and Jimmy, Ainsley and Owen, and Gwen and August, I feel like I’m saying good-bye to friends!
This story had everything built into it. ROmance, laughter, scavenger hunt, twists and turns. I think Kelly did a great job incorporating the history throughout the story and gave you the perfect amount to make the story understandable. THe growth that Gwen went through from her mistakes to the forgiveness was admirable. I loved August and he truly was the perfect guy (why can’t they make them like that in real life).
My heart is so full after reading this and growing along with the characters and it was a good reminder forgiveness is everything and releases a lot of burden.
This is my honest review
4.5 Stars
What a great read, once again Kelly Siskind has shown what a great writer she is with this funny, hot emotional book, this is a second chance romance and right from the start you could sense and feel the love August and Gwen have for each other. This couple were meant to be together the chemistry is sizzling and the banter and one liners will have you giggling and leave you smiling like a Cheshire Cat, a match made in heaven but the road for Gwen and August has a few bumps along the way. The characters are easy to like and what’s not to love about a second chance love story involving a rocker who writes love songs. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
This was my 1st book by Kelly Siskind, and I am HOOKED by her totally natural, believable characters. Well, I was hooked from the minute I read the blurb. I used to be a huge fan of the TV series 24, so the premise of this completely intrigued me. An entire love story that goes down in 36 hours? YESYESYESYESYES! It was so much fun. More importantly, there was so much chemistry between August & Gwen – the feelings they’d held on to for nine long years were just below the surface, and oh-so ready to spring to life.
Loved the mystery they had to work to solve, and I genuinely believed that August – with good intentions – had screw up so badly there was no way for them to work out. I was thrilled with how it DID work out, and enjoyed every word!
***5 ‘Floating Bubbles’ Stars***
I almost didn’t give Licks a go…almost.
And you really can’t blame me after reading the prologue at the end of Stud…because WHOA..I mean,I cringed.
So for a second there I was like, I’ll just pass on this one.
Then I did a mental Gibbs smack on myself and reminded my overthinking Libra brain that I am a fangirl of the authors AND it would be foolish to not finish the series out.
And I’m happy I listened to myself post Gibbs smack because I couldn’t put Licks down. I didn’t re-read the prologue ~ but from the first chapter I was hooked. I thoroughly enjoyed being apart of Gwen and August’s emotional roller coaster of a ride to their HEA and loved where they were at when everything was said and done.
Ahh Gwen and August. These two killed me ~ in a good way. Gwen is sassy, snarky and tells it like it is. She has her demons, though, and has had to work hard to find the happy in her life, but she’s done it. August is that guy who excels at anything he puts his mind to and even those things that he doesn’t. He’s charismatic, determined and intense.
Their journey to their HEA wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t AS angsty as I thought it would be considering what happened the night their friendship was shattered. Oh, there was angsty-ness, but it wasn’t OTT. It really was about two people learning to forgive and move forward. It wasn’t easy and while that night was a huge sinkhole, there were a lot of other issues they had to tackle, but through the process they found that the thread that had always connected them was still there, it was a little frayed but stronger than either would have thought possible.
I have to say that the twists and turns in the search for Gwen’s father were very well done and kept me on my toes. And though there is a part of me that wanted a little more out of it, I can’t say I am disappointed in how it all played out in the end.
And, as always,I loved catching up with Rachel, Jimmy, Ainsley and Owen as well as Emmett and Cameron, seeing how they were all doing, as well as how they were all connected was a lot of fun.
In the end Licks was a great read. It had a lot of heart and the mix of smexy, humor and drama was well balanced throughout the book. So, if you’re looking for a good second chance romance, pick this one up!
~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~
Absolutely hands down an amazing read! As soon as I received this book and downloaded, I couldn’t stop reading. I was so invested in August and Gwen’s story from the previous books that I inhaled every word, sentence and chapter because this read was one that was definitely unputdownable. August and Gwen’s story is one of hurt, heartache, loss and yet you still get second chances, forgiveness and LOVE. Their story is filled with twists and turns that will leave you mind-blown on one helluva roller-coaster ride of FEELS!
This book threw quite an emotional punch. Honestly, that’s an understatement and a half.
Gwen’s story was even more powerful than I was expecting. My heart broke no less than five time throughout our time with her.
Siskind writes emotional storylines mixed with a bit of intrigue flawlessly.
LICKS is a novel written by Kelly Siskind and follows the up and down relationship between Gwen and August. It spans the years from children through adults, in true life fashion. There is teenage angst, laughter, heartbreak, hope and love. The book is told from 2 POVs which adds a richness to the plot and gives depth to each character. Gwen’s life is molded by the lack of maternal love while August leads a life of seemingly perfection. As in real life, what you see is not always what you get. Gwen’s insecurities and low self-esteem lead to some bad choices with far-reaching effects to all involved. Years later, unusual circumstances reunite Gwen and August and thrust those bad decisions back into the limelight.
The author writes a wonderful story that will tug at your heartstrings and bring tears to your eyes. As in great books, this author makes you FEEL. The book is intended for mature readers for language and sexual content. While there is plenty of both, they are not the heart of the story. Add in an HEA, and you have a 5 star read, worthy of your time and attention.
Fantastic read! This was my first Kelly Siskind novel, but most definitley not my last. I already downloaded the first 2 in this series to catch up. August and Gwen’s situation is both heartbreaking and inspiring. I could not put this book down, following along on their journey to discover the truth, completley invested in their relationship and the outcome. And what a little twist at the end. I can not reccomend this book enough.
I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Right from the beginning Gwen and August are in a bad place with their friendship. They have been best friends since childhood and both want a relationship that goes beyond friendship but they keep managing to screw up their chances. Their are 2 different parts to the story, the 2nd taking place 9 years after the first. Kelly takes the reader on quite the roller coaster ride. Gwen’s mother passing away, her diary showing up 11 years after it was lost and the journey to find her father. August gets caught up in the craziness and it all happens in just a matter of hours. I will be reading the other 2 books in this series very soon. I recommend this book.
Loved it! A love story for the ages. A sweet, funny, romantic, emotional story that’s just fabulous. An exquisitely crafted story with so many layers that includes friendship, love, family drama, mystery, heartbreak and growth. Such a tumultuous journey between the wonderfully developed characters, Gwen and August. And can we talk about the fabulous, panty melting sex scenes? This author knows how to do it right. Hot! On my ‘read again’ list
5 unbelievable stars
This entire series has been a delight to read. I fell in love with each one of these characters and became invested in wanting to know their stories. Each of these books are a standalone but the characters interact in each of the stories. From the beginning I knew there was going to be a story to tell with Gwen and boy was I right on that hunch. I have been eagerly awaiting for this book after reading the first chapter at the end of Stud. I was hoping that the rest of the story would live up to that chapter since I was a bit leery with the premise that this story would be told in a 36 hour time-frame. I can say that I shouldn’t have worried because this author used her amazing writing ability and wrote the best book of the three.
Gwen. There are not enough words to describe how much I loved this character. I loved watching her go through the steps of trying to come to terms with who her father was. In trying to fulfill her birthday wish she discovered so much about herself, her relationship with her mother, and August. August. Good Lord. That man was deliciousness and hotter than Hades, I loved watching him wrestling with his emotions and the anger and bitterness he had over the past. I loved that he knew what he felt for Gwen was real regardless of the past. Together they were kismet. Plain and simple. There is no other word that comes close to describing them.
While the story might have been told in only a day and a half it was not an instalove type romance nor did it feel rushed. There was history here. They were best friends before they became eventual lovers. There was betrayal and many lost years but the connection that these two had was beyond anything that could only be contained in mere hours. They proved that there is no such thing as coincidence and that there is truth to the old saying, “to every season there is a reason” (I used to hate being told that when I was young and complaining about winter–yet now I can see the wisdom in the words).
I am a sucker for symbolism in books so seeing all the hidden “Easter eggs” (as I like to call them because I am a huge gamer and nerd) of the power of three; friends, boyfriends who were also their own threesome, and wishes were all intertwined throughout the story culminating in one final scavenger hunt made me giddy! The details and ‘coincidences’ of how that scavenger hunt came about exposing the truth was a beautiful reminder that not everything is as it seems on the surface and sometimes the universe has bigger plans for us. If we change one certain thing the butterfly effect happens and for Gwen and August they wouldn’t be in the here and now.
I am sad to see this story and series end. There is a part of me that wishes that Finch gets his story too. Regardless, of what this author writes, I will be there eagerly awaiting to gobble it up.
I loved this book. Licks was a second chance novel with a difference. There was never a dull moment. From one clue to the next I loved following Gwen and August on the search for her father. This novel has so many twists and turns that I was hooked from start to finish.
From the beginning you could feel the chemistry between Gwen and August and that never changed throughout the story, instead it just grew more pronounced. These two complex, well-developed character really had a shared interconnected past and Kelly was able to portray this through out the story.
This book had a bit of everything, friendship, forgiveness, romance, mystery, some angst, steamy scenes, a fascinating storyline, and an amazing ending. This page-turner was riveting, unique and totally unexpected. I absolutely loved everything about this story and would highly recommend it.
Even though I loved the characters and the reasoning for acting the way they were, was legit. I did not enjoy this constant inner dialogue all through the book. I was cursory reading some of the pages, and I usually don’t do that because I feel I miss stuff. that was not the case here.
On the other hand I love Kelly’s writing so off we go to her showmen series that I’m sure I’m gonna love!! 🙂