‘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 … 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.
COMING SEPTEMBER 2019
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And the award for “book that made me cry the most in my entire life” goes to… Beard With Me by Penny Reid! I connected with Billy and Scarlet’s story in such a way that almost every scene made me cry. There were tears of happiness, compassion, love, anger and sadness. I felt so many things in such a short time that by the end of the book I couldn’t keep track of my emotions anymore lol
This book tells Billy and Scarlet’s “origin” story: how they went from enemies, to friends, to lovers and, unfortunately, to strangers. I confess I was only expecting angst in this book, but thankfully, there were a bunch of sweet, beautiful and heartwarming scenes in the middle.
Considering Billy and Scarlet had a lot of baggage at such a young age, it was amazing to see them slowly developing a relationship built on friendship, trust and love. I really loved how carefree, innocent and adorable they were with each other. Their scenes in the woods were all perfect, especially the one Scarlet considered the best day of her life.
Billy, Billy, Billy… Is there anyone in the world more honorable and selfless than him? I honestly don’t think so. In the previous books, I already liked Billy, but it was hard to really connect with him since he was always so serious. However, in this book everything changed. He never had an easy life, but that didn’t stop him from trying to raise his brothers and sister and take care of his mom. He did everything that was in his power to give them the best life, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness. And he never asked for anything back. He never made them feel like a burden. Billy did it all simply because he loved them beyond words.
As if being the best son and brother wasn’t enough, Billy was also the best friend and boyfriend to Scarlet. He took care of her, taught her how to play the guitar and encouraged her to dream bigger. He understood her and never judged her. He just wanted her to be happy and free of her burdens.
Scarlet is simply out of this world. She went through so much abuse and hardship, but she never lost sight of who she wanted to be. She’s the sweetest, funniest and most incredible girl ever. Billy always talks about how beautiful and unbreakable her spirit is and that’s definitely one of the things that makes her such an amazing character. Even scared out of her mind, she took a chance on Billy and learned how to receive affection, share her feelings, and trust another person and, more importantly, herself. I really wish I could put her in a jar and protect her from those piece of shits called Razor and Ben.
I couldn’t finish this review without mentioning Cletus. I’ve always loved him, but in this book he really shined. It was amazing to see his teenager version and how certain moments shaped the person he turned out to be. His friendship with Scarlet was also one of the most precious things in the world. Their scenes together were super funny and interesting and I wish they had more adventures together.
Suffice to say, “Beard With Me” became one of my favorite books in the world and made me fall even more in love with the Winston Brothers. They are all special characters and I can’t believe the next book is already the last one in the series 🙁
I like the first of the book where there is a forewarning that this is a heartbreak backstory for Billy and Claire (aka Scarlet) and not a happy romance. Turn around and skip this book if you are not wanting this.
Of course I continued because I wanted to know their history.
Billy’s story was heartbreaking, he was dealt a crappy hand when it comes to a father and had to become the father figure for his siblings. I know this is fiction but it is something that sometimes happens in families and horrible how in these situations it forces children to grow up way too fast.
Claire is just trying to survive life as best as she can.
It was so great to see everyone as young selves, who they were, compared to who they eventually become.
I think this was a great part of the series and so glad I did not avoid it.
Timeframe was hard to decipher closer to end but overall I really enjoyed their back story. It was good and heartbreaking.
This was very different from the other books in the series, but a must read prior to reading Beard Necessities. It make the moments in that book much more meaningful! Scarlet and Billy are wise beyond there years!!
Penny Reid has created such a wonderful world with the Winston brothers, and their one intrepid sister, Ashley! Ashley flees Tennessee to strike out on her own, becoming a part of the bestselling and much loved Knitting in the City series, but this is her own book connecting the two worlds…and what a book it is. Filled with longing, beauty, humor and depth, it will draw you in and never let you forget it. Beard with Me is a favorite in a host of favorites. I want to write a world as immersive and delightful as this!
Beard With Me is heartbreakingly beautiful. This is without a doubt my most anticipated release for the year (including Beard Necessities, ofcourse) and it did not disappoint. This book made me love the Winstons even more. Since it’s a backstory, it was so fun getting to know them on a deeper level. It helped me understand how they used to be and the reason behind their actions/decisions in the present timeline.
Billy and Scarlet are something else. They have stolen my heart completely. If these two are such amazing people at this age, I’m even more excited to read about them again in Beard Necessities. If anything, this actually left me with an urge to reread all the previous books just so I can collect the BillyClaire crumbs again and make the wait a little easier.
Very entertaining. Fun. Great series.
Oh my heart! This book gives “all the feels” new meaning. I loved seeing the Winstons as kids. I loved seeing Mama Winston again. It was nice to finally know the history between Billy and Scarlett, but goodness, it shattered me. Excellent writing and as always,wonderful narration.
I have had this book on my kindle for ages but I just couldn’t bring myself to read it. The reviews I read and the authors warning had me well aware I was going to cry like a baby while I read it. Penny’s writing is amazing so I knew I would love it but the origin story of Billy and Scarlet had to hurt.
Even though I waited until I was emotionally ready I couldn’t have prepared myself. Especially since it is set when they are all still young and their mother is still alive. And even though through each of their stories I knew their part of why they were how they were living it in the moment was so much more emotional.
And I really didn’t think about the life Scarlet had lived. But reading this book I broke for her, for Billy, for Cletus, for Jethro, for Bethany. Even while I was reading it laughing at the one liners Cletus threw out there. Or smiling at the absolute beauty of Scarlet inside and out. I was holding my breath waiting for the next punishment or twist in their story.
Those hits just kept coming. And each one felt harder and more devastating than the last. The only thing I am truly grateful for is the fact I have Beard Necessities ready to dive into because I have to know what happened next and get the happily ever after they both so desperately deserve.
Growing up under the thumb of Green Valley’s notorious motorcycle club, the Iron Wraiths, Scarlet St. Claire is an expert at making herself invisible. But lately, Scarlet has found herself with more attention that she has ever wanted…
Billy Winston cares about his family, and little else. So, when he discovers Scarlet St. Claire’s mere presence too close to his home, he is ready to do whatever it takes to keep her far away from his family and the possibility of causing them any sort of problems… or so he thinks…
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Beard with Me is a story that truly showcases the never-ending talent of it’s author, Penny Reid. Billed as a tragic love story, it is all that and so much more. For those of us who have been fans of the Winston Brothers series since the very beginning, Billy and Scarlet have been breaking our hearts for far too long, and this story was no exception. It’s sad, heartbreakingly so, but it is also the most beautiful and innocent introduction to Billy and Scarlet’s young love that was never meant to be…
With only hints of Scarlet’s tragic upbringing in the series thus far, this book cemented what we already knew of her character. Scarlet is a survivor, and as a teenager, she was already growing into an incredibly strong and equally shrewd woman. Her story is hard, but despite the horrors of her existence within the Wraiths, Scarlet is a breath of fresh air who sings like an angel, and never lets her circumstances keep her down for too long.
Billy works hard to help his family and keep everything running smoothly around the house. With his disdain for the Iron Wraiths clear for all to see, he also wants nothing to do with Scarlet St. Claire and the trouble she represents. But Billy soon finds out what kind of secrets Scarlet is harboring, and once her strength shines through Billy soon realizes Scarlet is nothing like the Wraiths who have mistreated her since birth. And he vows that she will never have to face them alone, ever again.
This book was everything I could have wished for in the backstory of Billy and Scarlet. I absolutely LOVED meeting the Winston’s as teenagers and young children, and seeing so much more of Mrs. Winston was an unexpected (and bittersweet) treat. I feel the need to read every single book in this series back again after all I learned all about the incomparable Winston family in their youth.
Billy and Scarlet may not have their happily ever after yet… but it’s coming… and no one deserves it more than these two. Their story concludes with Beard Necessities, releasing on November 4th, and not a moment too soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.
This was hands down the best book in this series. I waited to read this book until Beard Necessities came out because I knew I would need to dive into that book right after this one. We were warned this was not as light as Penny’s other books and I have to tell you, it was by far my favorite. I was warned there was not a HEA in the end, that is why I knew I needed to read them back to back. I didn’t expect to have so many feelings reading this book though.
This book is the backstory of brooding Billy and Scarlett from when they are 14 and 16 and how they fell in love. It was a supposed enemies to lovers feeling at first, but that quickly turned into so many feelings. I didn’t expect it to be so dark either. We get a lot more information about the MC that their fathers are in and it was heartbreaking at times. The bond these two forged in their own experiences was unbreakable. Bit by bit we see each of them breaking down walls, and in the end we are left feeling lost just like they are.
I didn’t expect to love this book like I did. It is more YA and I don’t typically love that, but this book hit so many marks for me and was darn near perfect.
The reason why this didn’t get 5 stars is because this was a very difficult read. This story was bittersweet and downright heartbreaking. As a rule, I never read books that don’t end with a HEA, but since this is part 1 of 2 books and necessary to learn the backstory of this couple I sucked it up and endured the pain that is Beard With Me.
The book is very well-written. Ms. Reid is an excellent storyteller, and I like that she avoids cliches and infuriating couples that just don’t communicate. I guess that as a reader I just wanted better for Billy and Claire, which just goes to prove how engaging the storyline and writing is.
Despite the heartbreak, I do recommend this book and I can’t wait to read the next one: Beard Necessities.
A 5 star moving, touching, heartbreaking origin story that sets up an epic love story.
“Crushing me. Yes. I was well and truly crushed.”
That is how Scarlet felt whenever Billy looked at her, stared at her, talked to her, was around her. It was beautiful and yet somewhat painful and uncomfortable for her. I can understand how she felt because that is how I felt while reading this book.
I read Bear With Me having already read books 0.5-6 of the Winston Brothers series where I had fallen hard for these two. I’ve loved Billie and Scarlet throughout the series and knowing Beard With Me is their origin story and that they aren’t together for YEARS after just tore my heart out a bit each time I read more of this story. So, know that my thoughts in this review come from someone who has been invested in Billy and Scarlet since this series began – not from someone fresh to this book (though it could be read as a standalone followed by Beard Necessities).
If you are going to read this book (and you should), just be prepared to FEEL. I had so many feelings and then more feelings and then even more feelings. I felt compassion for two innocent TEENS who have to live as adults at such a young age, taking care of themselves and in Billie’s case, taking care of his siblings and other responsibilities. I then felt anger and rage that they HAD to live as adults because they had fathers who were selfish, narcissistic, and psychotic to say the least. I felt tenderness and sweetness as a 14 yo and 16 yo learn to trust each other, develop a friendship and form a bond so strong and unique to only them. I felt frustration, sadness and more anger at the hopelessness of the tragic turn of events surrounding their fragile, young love and the lack of a HFN or HEA that I knew wasn’t coming. (THANK GOODNESS Beard Necessities is coming!).
I am SO GRATEFUL that Penny Reid wrote this origin story as it’s a gift to get more of Billie and Scarlet even if it made me have all of those feelings. And it will make their HEA all the sweeter truly knowing all that they have gone through, suffered through and persevered through.
What I loved most is that this is simply a story of Billie and Scarlet finally coming to “see” and get to know each other. It’s not bogged down with any other overarching theme or topic that I’ve come to expect in a Penny Reid novel (such as police profiling/brutality in Dr. Strange Beard for example) but is a snapshot of the first weeks of their friendship and how they came to fall in love despite the odds stacked against them.
Billie Winston is one of the best male characters I’ve read in a long time.
He struggles with anger towards his father and the fear of becoming like him in any way beyond looking just like him. He struggles with his jealousy and hurt caused by his older brother who walked away and left him without a best friend and confidant. He’s drowning in responsibilities and pressure with the fear that at any moment it could all shatter but he will always sacrifice for his family- always. And yet with Scarlet, he could finally just be, if only for a little while, and he loved her fierce.
“I loved her voice when she sang, but I suspected her spirit eclipsed it as my favorite thing about her.”
“Scarlet and her voice were the same. Momentous, incredible, and unheard.”
Scarlet was an old soul for someone just 14 years old. She’s a survivor and yet despite all that life has brought her (or not brought her in some cases) she’s sweet and caring and SO STRONG. I love how Reid depicted her innocence whenever she spoke to herself or tried to cheer herself up by telling herself jokes. My heart just broke for this lonely girl.
All he wants is a normal, happy family. All she wants is a kitchen.
I hope they both find that in Beard Necessities!!
For those with trigger aversions: One reason I didn’t read this book when it first came out was because Penny Reid herself gave a warning about potential triggers. I for one steer clear of books with gratuitous violence, abuse and especially rape so I was very hesitant to start this book knowing that my beloved characters were going to go through some heavy stuff. Without giving away spoilers, I can say yes there is some violence/abuse, but my imagination had expected WAY worse and I am so glad that I didn’t let that stop me from reading this story.
Audio. Ugh. Just so much laughing and crying and wishing Joy Nash & Cris Brinkley could follow me around all day and talk to me about ALL THE THINGS. (But mostly Cletus )
Honestly, as much as I love Nash & Brinkley ~ there’s a small part of me that thinks that this audio might have benefited from narrators who sound more like teenagers (yes, I know 16yo guys may sound like men). But it doesn’t keep me from giving this 5 stars.
So much awesome.
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This book was every bit as horrifying as I knew it would be.
Penny has said herself (on her facebook, newsletter, etc.) that she did NOT want to write this book. In similar fashion, I do not want to write this review. The story was horrid! The book was amazing, but the story was horrid. Again, I went into this with open eyes. I knew this was going to rip my heart out and make me wait a month to put it back together. I knew that going in, but at the same time, I DIDNT KNOW!!! I read this book about a month ago, but I could not write this review. Just couldn’t do it. I’m making myself get through this today. It’s on my planner, so obviously it MUST BE DONE.
The Winston Brothers series is my favorite contemporary romance series of all time. Ever. It is hands down the best. Green Valley TN is right in the heart of East TN, where I grew up. I love this part of the country. It is beautiful, vibrant, and easy to fall in love with. The brothers (and Ashley, their sister) all share a special bond which I absolutely love and relate to. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, stop right now and go back to the beginning. You’ll never appreciate this book to the fullest if you read it out of context.
Billy has long been my favorite Winston. He is the one that had to be a grown up and keep the family together. No matter what Billy was going through personally, he had to shelve it and take care of his siblings. That is what I love about Billy. He is “The Strong One”. The one who put his whole life on hold for his siblings. It has long been known that Billy’s heart was decimated by the lovely Clair McClure. The how and why have been previously unknown. Until now. *sob*
Scarlet is the most amazing, the strongest, the most resourceful little girl. I love her so much. I am absolutely in awe of her. Watching her go through all of these tragic childhood experiences (INCLUDING HER MARRIAGE, WHAT THE FUCK!? -sorry, I needed to get that out.) while knowing what an amazing person she grows up to be. *more sobs*
Ugh. I just cannot. If you are considering skipping this book because you know it will be hard to read, don’t. Valuable information. Is it hard to read? Yes. Is it also full of stuff you really need to know? Also yes. If you haven’t read any of the Winston Brothers books yet, well, now is a great time to start. The last book will be out in just a second. *Squee!*
Love everything Penny Reid has ever written. Everything in this series is fantastic! Love.Love.Love.
This book was amazing! I was so excited to get the back story on Billy and Scarlet’s (Claire’s), origin story in their youth. This book lets you see the real Billy, underneath his gruff exterior. He really is such a good guy with a great heart, who would do anything for those that he loved. Scarlet was a tough cookie. She had to be. She had a horrible family and pretty much had to fend for herself. Billy and Scarlet had a rough start, but soon found that they had strong feelings for each other. This book answered many questions that I had. It had so many sweet moments in it. It was also a bit soul crushing too. I can’t wait for the next book so that I can answer all of the questions that have been on my mind. I highly recommend this book, and the whole series, really. As usual, the narration is top notch!
Heartbreaking, emotional, and inspiring from start to finish. Beard With Me took my breath away. This prequel, the first half of the long-awaited Billy & Scarlet duet, is a must read for Winston Brothers and Penny Reid fans.
I seem to be constantly immersed in all things Penny Reid these days, and that is not a bad place to be. Although after finishing this I totally get why people were so devastated after reading it. Now knowing it is going to be resolved, hopefully in the next book, Beard Necessities, helps my little broken heart a tiny bit. I loved this origin story about Billy and Scarlet. Seeing their love develop, and then seeing them have to say goodbye to it. I loved getting a look at all the Winston brothers as well as Ashley when they were young. Seeing the whole town, all the family members, the other people we’ve heard of in bits and pieces, it was so much fun and I just wanted to be constantly immersed in the story and the town and all that was going on. Even with all that we were given, I’d have been happy with more and more! Such a lovely, emotional, sweet, intense, heartbreaking story. I can’t say too much, don’t want to give away anything, but I did cry a little while finishing this up sitting at lunch at work.
Penny Reid is always a five-star rating, but this… this one is heart-breaking. Drew was always my favorite Penny book boyfriend, but this book has skewed everything I thought I knew about the Winston Brothers. So, so good.
I have to say this book is definitely a bit different than the other books I’ve read by Penny Reid. While I’m used to some quirky characters and laugh out loud moments, Beard with Me is definitely a bit darker. This book is pretty long and very intense and knows how to hit you in all the feels.
Billy is a Winston brother and he is definitely the kind of person who feels it’s his responsibility to keep everything running smoothly at home. At 16, he takes on so much of his family life to help out his mother. Having five younger siblings (and an older one he doesn’t want to talk about), life is never boring in their household.
Billy is a character that stole my heart about a third into the book. At first he was a little too rough around the edges for me, but once he let Scarlet in, there was something about him! I love how deep he feels. Even though he knows things can’t happen or how messed up their families are, he loves with his whole heart.
Scarlet is only 14 in this story, but feels so much older. That’s not surprising once you learn more about her family. No one should go through what she does and it’s not surprising she doesn’t live at home. For someone to put themselves in the situation Scarlet is in, it’s clear things are bad. Scarlet is very strong though. Even at her darkest moments she tries and sees the light. Music is her distraction and I can very much understand that!
Letting someone get close to her isn’t something Scarlet wants to let happen. Her walls are built up and she won’t let anyone break them down. That is until Billy. I love how at first she was so careful, but slowly started letting her walls down and let herself be loved by Billy and his family. At times she seemed a bit harsh, but at her age and situation, who can blame her?!? Scarlet is a character that deserves the best life possible.
Beard with Me is an emotional story. A lot of things happen no human should ever have to face. That being said, these characters are still able to find a little bit of light and enjoy the smaller things! Even though my heart ached while reading this story, little moments brought a smile to my face. Even though this story is pretty dark, Penny Reid gave us little spots of light.
I loved that this story was split in a dual POV, because we would’ve missed a lot if that wasn’t the case. Both of their stories is so important. I only wish that near the end we got a little more of Scarlet. I was left with a few questions. Don’t expect a happily ever after reading this story, just hope like all of us readers that there will be some type of happily ever after in Beard Necessities!