Thirty-year-old Betsy Kline knows what holds her back. Knows why she is the way she is and guards herself the way she does. It took her years, but she finally has the good common sense to know that what happened back then wasn’t her fault. But knowing isn’t enough to stop the self-loathing that always finds its way in, creeping-creeping-creeping, tainting every decision she makes. But life isn’t … life isn’t all bad. She works for a boss she doesn’t despise, has a picture-perfect boyfriend (on the outside, at least), and has the sort of friends her lonely younger self only ever dreamed of having.
Like Adair McTaggart. Now there’s a best friend if there ever was one. And the fact that he’s a hunk with a sexy Scottish lilt doesn’t hurt, either.
Or maybe it does, because lately Betsy can’t stop fantasizing about him. Can’t keep her heart from stuttering a pathetic little beat in her chest whenever she so much as thinks about him. And when Life throws them together as temporary roommates, those feelings only intensify. Which is the worst thing ever, because he’s too good for her. Sure, she can keep him as a friend. But what would she do if she lost him as a lover?
When you’ve felt wrong for so long, is it possible to ever feel right? And how do you heal the wounds you can’t see?
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What an emotional, uplifting, and eye-opening read from Lisa Sorbe!
“People don’t just wear masks. The majority of humans on this planet wear a shine. An overlay. A simple smile and nod, lips curved up at the edges, their pearly whites flashing. Their cheeks squeeze up, rosy apples begging to be pinched. The soft, barely-there lines around their eyes deepen, as if to prove they’ve done this before, that they smile all.the.time. As if those crinkles aren’t merely cracks in their armor but the actual armor itself”
Betsy may have the biggest shine of all. She is one of the most complicated and complex characters I’ve come across. The amount of growth she accomplishes from the beginning of the book until the end is amazing. She is a different person, and she has put in all the hard work to finally leave her painful past behind and move into her future, chasing the dreams that matter most to her. Lord knows she hasn’t gotten any support or love from the people she shares DNA with! Thankfully, she had Adair and her network of friends. As she said, “Maybe, for some of us, the family we grew up with is not the same we grow old with.” When we’re young, we are given a family, good or bad. But, as adults, we can choose the family we want and deserve!
Oh, Adair, what an amazing man! He is so patient with Betsy. He has loved her for quite a while, hiding his true feelings behind his friendship with her. It will take her a bit longer to realize exactly how she feels about Adair. I just kept hoping she would realize it before it was too late.
One of my favorite parts of a book, as I’ve written in other reviews, is the section about the author or their acknowledgements. It gives me an insight into who the writer is, and many times, their passion for writing shines through. I’ve always felt like there is a difference between a book and a story. Telling a story is what pulls me into a book, playing on my emotions and falling in love with the characters. Sorbe is definitely one heck of a storyteller whose words are pure magic!!!!
I have loved this series so far not been left disappointed once! The author once again has written a novel that pulls you in with it’s fantastic storyline and brilliant characters. I loved seeing how much the main characters grow throughout the novel it’s beautiful to read. It’s abit of a slow burner at first but the pace do pick up throughout and you will find youself glued to the pages unable to set your kindle down until you have finished every single page and it will leave you wanting more from this author that’s for certain.
Beneath the Shine by Lisa Sorbe is the third book in her Prairie Tales Series and what a great continuation of this series. Following this series has been a joy to get to read, seeing the story progress through the different characters and how each story is interconnected yet able to be read on their own. Beneath the Shine is the story of Betsy and Adair, and the rocky road that these two set on looking for something more from life. Betsy is a gorgeous, smart, transfixing woman who thinks about others always above herself. If there is something that she can give of herself she does so willingly and without second thought. Betsy has always had dreams that were bigger than she could even imagine, but her dreams keep her moving forward. Betsy can be a bit of a mystery at times, as she plays her cards close to the vest and keeps her past firmly where it needs to be preferring not to think about what brought her to where she is today. When Betsy meets Adair for the first time there is something about him that she just can’t deny, and yet when she and Adair become roommates her feelings get harder and harder to hid from him. What Betsy doesn’t know is that Adair is in love with her, and is only holding his feelings back by a thin thread until he gets a sign from her that she could feel the same way too. Can he convince Betsy that his feelings are true? Can Betsy find it inside herself to take a chance on her feelings for Adair? This story is one that shows how heartbreak can change someone, how they can either grow from the pain or shutdown completely. Both Betsy and Adair’s journeys not only within themselves but together finding a way to heal as one was such a pleasure to get to experience. Sorbe is a newer to me author, having only found her with this series and I am so glad that I picked this one up. Her writing style is very unique, the characters are all fantastic to get to see grow and change not only in their relationships but also within themselves. If you are looking for a great series that will pull you in from the very beginning and keep you close throughout each book than this is the series for you. I can’t wait to see what else Sorbe brings to her readers in the future because this is one author that I know will bring many amazing stories to us readers in the future.
Beneath The Shine by: Lisa Sorbe is book 3 in the Prairie Tales series. The book continues with the characters. I enjoy how the book intertwines all the characters but each has their own story. This is Betsys story and while I enjoyed all the books this was my absolute favorite. I loved watching Betsys character grow and find herself and falling in love. This author has a great writing style and character development. I give this book 5 stars.
Beneath the Shine (Prairie Tales Book 3)
By: Lisa Sorbe is a contemporary romance book. This is a story that I really enjoyed reading and would love more stories from the author. This story was about Betsy Kline and Adair McTaggart. Betsy is a smart, beautiful woman who loves to help others. Betsy does have a decent job and a boss that she does get along with. This story follows what happens when two best friends have to co habitat in the same home. Betsy and Adair are thrust together in a position they don’t mind but it does begin to cause feelings to start rising to the surface coming out. I really enjoyed the sparks and story in general. It was a first time read for me and I look forward to more books by the author.
This contemporary romance is one that is worth every page read and minute spent. The plot and characters are well developed. The author paces the story well. I enjoyed the book and came in without reading the previous books in the series. I look forward to picking up the others and reading more from this author.
This is the third book in this series and it is my favorite. It is a contemporary romance story that left me wanting more throughout the entire book. I was pulled in right from the beginning. I loved Betsy’s character. She is kind of lost but I enjoyed seeing how she grew throughout the story. She has some insecurities and needs to find herself. This is an emotional roller coaster ride from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book.
Beneath the Shine
By Lisa Sorbe
5 stars
This is definitely one of those stories that you have to stick with before it gets good, and trust me it does get really good. I really thought hard about what to give this book as a star rating, if I’m honest the first part was a solid 4 star but the ending was a huge 5 stars for me. This is the second book that I have read by this author and she has an amazing ability to make you feel everything her characters are feeling, I really felt connected to Betsy and I really did feel for her. I honestly wanted everything to work out the way in which she wanted.
There did seem to be quite a few loose ends going through the story and I love the way that the author tied everything up at the end, the story really did feel complete once I had finished reading. The pace was a little slow in the beginning but definitely picked up as the story went on and got to that point where I couldn’t put it down.
I definitely do recommend this book and really want to say that if you are finding it hard to get into please, please keep going – it is so worth it!
Beneath the Shine (Prairie Tales Book 3)
By: Lisa Sorbe
5 out of 5 stars
The story Beneath the Shine (Prairie Tales Book 3) by Lisa Sorbe is a contemporary romance book. This is a story and series I have loved reading. The book is well-written and has characters that are amazing. I loved reading about Betsy Kline and Adair McTaggart. Betsy is a smart, beautiful woman who loves to help others. While her dreams may not have not been fulfilled yet, she does have a job with a boss that she gets along with. Betsy don’t always have a lot of self-confidence however she does have friends that are there for her when she needs advice and support. Betsy keeps her past a secret even from her best friends. When she and one of her best friends Adair McTaggart become roommates the feelings that she has always had for him become stronger and harder to ignore no matter how hard she tries. The past can play a role in the decisions that you make in the present. Will her past stand in the way of her finding true love? Adair McTaggart is a successful businessman and also in love with Betsy. Can he convince Betsy to take a chance on love with him? Betsy’s story is one the includes heartbreaking situations. It also is one of self-discovery and the healing of old wounds. I enjoyed reading about the interactions/bantering between Adair and Betsy. When reading I wanted both Betsy and Adair to find happiness together and an HEA. Read this book to find out where they end up. This story is hauntingly beautiful. Once I started reading I did not want to put it down until I had read the final page. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.