They liked to call me names. Manwhore. Slut. Player. But I make wrong look so right…
He’s a flawed perfectionist…
I can read women better than any blueprint. I understand their thoughts and feelings, their secret desires and insecurities, and I know how to get rid of them once I get off.
But all bets are off when Tiel Desai slams into my life. She redefines what it means to be friends, and she … to be friends, and she makes it sound like the filthiest thing I’ve ever heard.
I can’t read the gorgeous conservatory-trained violinist, but she’s the only one keeping me from shattering by small degrees, and I can’t let her go.
She’s wildly independent…
My past—and New Jersey—are far behind me, and now my life is blissfully full of music: playing, teaching, and lecturing, and scouring Boston’s underground scene with an annoyingly beautiful, troubled, tattooed architect.
I’m defenseless against his rooftop kisses, our nearly naked dance parties, the snuggletimes that turn into sexytimes, and his deep, demanding voice.
I have Sam Walsh stuck in my head like a song on repeat, and I’m happy pretending history won’t catch up with me.
The one thing they have in common is a rock-solid disregard for the rules.
They find more in each other than they ever realized they were missing, but they might have to fall apart before they can come together.
It’s the wrongs that make the rights come to life.
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I am late meeting the Walsh’s, and I have so enjoyed getting to know this family. A highly dysfunctional father has broken them, but the love between these brothers and sisters have scotch taped them all brokenly back together. Through this series of books, we observe the different Walshs deal with their hateful father’s legacy and try to come into their own. Sam is a unique Walsh. He’s very much what I would call debonair. But underneath that is all the damage done by his dad has left him a vaguely empty individual. Outwardly he’s right, looks check, profession check, party guy check. He’s at the top of his field. Then he meets Tiel. I would say she’s almost like a bohemian female version of Sam. These two have more baggage than the Titanic and hurts that run real deep. The voyage of these two to a place of togetherness is a painful one for all. I wanted to smack both of them at various times. However, they had to go through all of it get to where they could be there for each other. I enjoyed the club and concerts they attended, and one of the best scenes ever was both of them singing ” I Want To Get Better” by Bleachers (so freaking appropriate for the beginning of their relationship). It would be easy to write them off as temperamental or selfish, but when you consider the Art that drives them, it’s understandable. Both of them tend to feel on a different level, and it’s difficult for them to work through their headspace. And we have Riley offering his usual quirks and jokes, and as I am reading all the Walsh books, Riley is a constant thread of knowing what’s going on.
I look forward to his story.
I love all things Walsh. This series just gets better and better. I love how each book in this series gives me more about the Walsh family and the other characters. I also love how each book is different from the others. Sam and Tiel are different but that makes them even more special. I could also relate to Tiel’s introverted personality. As the mother of an autistic son, I also appreciate the work she is doing.
Love this series!
Sam, like all of his siblings, had a rough time growing up with his abusive father. Tiel also suffered from abuse from her family. While hers was emotional instead of physical, it was no less impactful to her.
Admittedly, Sam had never been my favorite Walsh while reading the other books but this book definitely helped me get a better feel for him. I see people saying that they really dislike Tiel, but I don’t get that. I think that her perspective is understandable given her circumstances and background (and the dual POV helps show this incredibly well).
I loved this whole series! Great characters, a fun and interesting plot and lots of twists and energetic turns.
Necessary Restorations – The Walsh Series – Book 3 by Kate Canterbary
The Walsh’s aren’t new to me, I’ve hung out with Matt and Lauren and Patrick and Andi, today I hung out with Sam and Tiel.
Wow, these two people come from different types of families and yet they both have had to deal with massive dysfunctional families. Familes that have really done damage to these two. Sam, well he is a Walsh, if you have read and of the Walsh Series, you know about Angus (their father) and their mother dying in front of her children. That Angus was basically the biggest walking bastard to the children and Sam is one of the ones who really suffered the most from the emotional abuse he lived through with Angus and he survived but his survival was at a cost. That cost was Sam’s self worth when it came to relating to anything outside of work.
Tiel came from a family whose life revolved around the family business. Tiel, however, didn’t revolve around the business. She was special, she had talent, she did really well in any endeavour that did not include her family. She went to a special school for music, she graduated Juilliard, she was doing some amazing work with children via music who were on the Autistic Spectrum. She had had a quick marriage when she was 19 in Juilliard that ended when her husband cheated on her. Her family doesn’t get what she does and they don’t really want to take the time to understand. Tiel and Sam are almost meant for each other, no commitments, Tiel not wanting that after the betrayal by her ex and Sam because he didn’t want any commitments. He would be protected if all he ever had was one nighters.
Oddly enough, they ended up on the same elevator that originally stopped working in a black out and then ended up almost free falling at one point. Having spent 8 hours in the elevator why not celebrate together, so they did! For the entire weekend. Tiel dragged Sam out to some music festivals (not Sam’s normal type of thing) and spent time watching movies. Cuddling and kissing were ok, but did either one of them want to go further from there.
I think Sam really needed Tiel and her exuberance to help him get out of a dive he was taking. A dive that could have taken him into dark spaces where Sam might have gotten lost. They continued on with the “friendship”. They were getting closer and closer, leading to becoming a couple. Tiel, due her family issues had a very difficult first meeting with the Walsh siblings but Sam was there for her. When Sam had dark times Tiel was there for him. If anyone was having an issue with this growing romance it was Tiel, because after all just when things were good, it when bad when she was left alone, by herself again.
There comes a time when through no ones fault really Teil sees Sam with another woman. Her walls come up immediately and when she throws up those walls she rants on at Sam, refuses to listen to his explanations and Sam shuts down, because that is how he had to handle things while growing up.
Knowing the Walsh siblings (this is the 3rd book I’ve read of the series) I will honestly say I’m a Team Patrick reader, but, I found I just wanted to take Sam home, give him soup, listen to him and hug him and tell him he isn’t a bad person at all. I also wanted to take Tiel to coffee and talk things through with her and listen to her like a mother should and help her come to see she is a worthy person.
Kate Canterbary has written yet another Walsh Sibling story that lets you into the lives of these 6 siblings, their lives and their loves. I always find it interesting reading about some of the architecture/preservation discussions that wind through these stories. Will you need kleenex for this book? Yes, I did, several times. I always find that if the author can touch me through emotions (laughter, tears, sparing with sibling, find love) they have pretty much guaranteed me a good read.
I am not okay after reading this book. I have loved every book in this series, I think this one may be my favorite (I haven’t finished the series, so I could love the next one more, but I doubt I will). I don’t even know where to start this review so that it will make sense, but here goes.
Tiel, my heart hurts for her and the way her family treats/alienates her. To be so removed from your family that you didn’t know a relative was pregnant until after the baby was born, has happened to me more that once, and let me tell you, it’s an awful feeling. To make the effort and have none of it returned, for your accomplishments to be downplayed or disregarded all together, to not have the support of your parents because it’s not what they wanted you to do with your life, to feel like a constant disappointment, is all too real for me. I 100% understand her abandonment issues, mistrust, irrational anger because she jumped to conclusions, pushing people away, the “I’ll get you before you get me” mentality. I have honestly never related to a character’s family situation more.
Sam, where do I even start with Sam. His was that hardest pov for me to read, even writing this, I have to have kleenex near by. I have a son with type1 diabetes. I know that it’s not a death sentence, I know that it’s a completely controllable illness, but it’s still chronic, and never not on my mind. Sam’s hesitancy to let anyone near or know about his medical issues, always needing to be careful, the anger surrounding his medical issues (I know a good amount of the anger came from Angus’ treatment of him too) completely reminded me of my son. I found myself worrying about Sam’s health, concerned that he wasn’t taking care of himself and terrified that that’s a window to my future. It caused me to mourn all over again everything that we’ve been through, and all that I know still lies ahead. And as I’m writing this review, my son’s cgm just alerted me that he’s low, it’s always there.
This book was amazing, I listened to the audio and absolutely adore both narrators. Medically, it was accurate, research was done or the correct knowledge was already there, which is a big deal in my opinion. I honestly wish I could give it more than 5 stars, it hit so incredibly close to home for me. Absolutely recommend this book, the entire series really, but especially this book, especially if you’ve struggled with any of the issues above.
Ok so about Sam and Tiel…these two aren’t my favourite characters. They are both kind of whiny, high maintenance, high strung and wildly emotional. It’s real, it get it, but out of all of the Walsh clan and the circle of people in it, these two make coffee jittery.
However, Sam’s redeeming quality (IMO) is his outdoorsy, independent nature to rebalance himself. It’s such a contradiction to his metrosexual personality…as is Tiel with her free flowing dresses. One is buttoned up and needs to connect to nature to ground himself and then Tiel is all airy and lightness, but on the inside she’s all tangled up and needs her music to find the quiet. She’s kind to Riley, so that’s her redeeming quality.
Read it…even if you don’t love them, you won’t be disappointed.
Sam is my favorite Walsh. I love this series and you will too. This family is unique and they will pull you in and make you love them all.
Oh how I absolutely love Sam! He was quirky, unusual, funny, sexy, dirty talking…..I just loved everything about him. Tiel was definitely quite different from Sam, but that’s what made them work. They had such an instant connection and such an easy friendship after their near death experience. Yes, Tiel had her flaws and had a hard time believing Sam was nothing like her family or her ex-husband….but thankfully she had an amazing friend that helped her to see that Sam was the best thing in her life. Sam was not without his faults either, hence why he needed a well-needed break from life and the world. He needed to take a step back, clear his head, so he could let go of all the hurt and anger from his past.
Sam is definitely my favorite Walsh brother, and Riley will definitely have some catching up to do in order to make me feel any different! Absolutely loved this story and can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
The entire Walsh series by Kate is wonderful. These are ‘can’t put them down’ ‘gotta read them all ‘books. The characters are wonderful. I want to be part of the Walsh family!!!
Stunning! What an original storyline. Well researched and written, another of the Walsh series that I could not put down. The characters are flawed and real and so opposite of each other making this such an engaging read.
Okay this statement will and should surprise the hell out of you that THIS is my favorite Walsh Family series book. Kate Canterbary continues stuns me with her originality and engrossing storytelling that had me reading chapter after chapter with the inability to put it down until ‘ how will this end ‘. This story isn’t easy. This story doesn’t belong in the wheelhouse of what I find entertaining to read. Yet, it moved me and so engrossed me that I read slow, not wanting the story to end.
The journey for Sam and Tiel isn’t paved with rose petals to get to a HEA. As you read through the series, you’ll find yourself experience each family member through the POV of the other. You know that Sam will be complicated. He is. As a romance reader, you hope he gets a heroine who is spreads sunshine and rainbows to save our complex hero. No such luck. Ms. Canterbary gives us flawed and beautiful characters that aren’t meant to save one another. This isn’t the typical trope where one saves the other. Because the only way they can be saved is if they save themselves first. What they had set them to a journey to be better humans.
Okay did I frighten you away? Please don’t. I know this sounds overly dramatic but Sam and Tiel’s story pulled a lot of emotions from this reader. Although sad at times, not so heartbreaking that it ruined me. From the start of their relationship, this was the first book where I began to believe that if they didn’t end up together it would be okay. It’s seriously the journey of them coming to grips with the issues they face over the HEA that won their story for me.
Another day – same lecture: Read the series from book one in order. Sam and Tiel are complex. They deserve the readers time and attention to know them first through other’s eyes before giving voice to their own story. I am bewitched by Kate Canterbary’s story telling and be a forever fan. 5 out of 5 stars.
Necessary Restorations (The Walsh Series #3)
Kate Canterbary
Oh Sam, poor sweet dysfunctional Sam. This poor fella has so many issues ocd, anxiety, and deviancy. You just can’t help but to fall for this pervy boy. Then there is Tiel sweet dysfunctional with her trust issues and fear of large families. Kate does so well introducing and carrying on such a wonderful story. Her characters come alive, and you want nothing more than to become bff’s heading to a local seedy bar to catch a new punk/folk band. You want to comfort Tiel and tell her not everyone is her family. When Sam is broken and in need of healing you want to be the one there to help pick up the pieces. I have read this series multiple times and it never gets old. I also really love the fact that even though it is part of a series you can read any of them as standalones.