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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I have really enjoyed the Prairie Tale series from Lisa Sorbe. To me they have flowed perfectly from one novel to the next, each enhancing the other. I don’t think that you have to read them in order in order to enjoy them separately. Lisa Sorbe has a knack for taking a realistic, and often difficult situation, and turning it into an inspirational, emotional and gripping love story.
In Beneath the Shine we get to watch Betsy Kline transform into a completely different person than she was at the beginning of the novel. It is a heartbreaking journey that we take with her, but oh so worth it. Life makes things interesting when she has to roommate with her best friend Adair, who also happens to be smoking hot and makes her heart skip a beat each time she sees him. It doesn’t help that Adair is in love with Betsy. Will they get a chance at true love together or will the stress ruin the friendship let alone a chance at more? Can Betsy move past her dark past to enjoy a future full of love and acceptance?
I loved all of this book. Every tear, and every kindle tossing moment. I can’t wait to see what will come next in not only this series but from Lisa Sorbe in general. I just hope it is sooner than later!
Beneath the Shine is the 3rd book in A Prairie Tale Series by Lisa Sorbe, and is a contemporary romance novel. It is the story of Betsy, who when we meet her is dealing with the death and then the funeral for her grandmother. Betsy’s grandmother always made Betsy feel as if she wasn’t good enough, and made Betsy’s mother feel that way, too. Betsy’s mother criticizes everything that Betsy does, too, so Betsy avoids her as much as she can. The book alternates between Betsy’s present day experiences and her experience on July 4th when she was 14 years old that effects everything that she does for the rest of her life. Betsy doesn’t feel that she is good enough for a truly loving relationship. She always picks guys to date who don’t treat Betsy the way that she deserves to be treated. An example of this is her current boyfriend, Clint, who is living with Betsy rent free. Clint doesn’t have a job, plays video games all day long, and then in the evening he turns on Sports Center and passes out on Betsy’s couch. Betsy’s best friend, Adair, who Betsy has had a crush on for the last 7 years, cannot stand Clint. He even calls Clint, “The Clint”. Adair has been in Iowa since he transplanted himself there from Scotland 7 years ago. Adair has developed his own microbrewery and also owns his own bar that is called “The Rusty Bucket”. Adair has offered Betsy a room in his house rent free numerous times, which would allow her the chance to save her money and hopefully start her own photography business, which is what Betsy really wants to pursue. Currently Betsy works for a lawyer as his personal assistant, but wanted to pursue a degree in graphic design when she finished high school. Adair never has romantic relationships; he just has casual affairs with women. All of Betsy’s and Adair’s friends know that they have romantic feelings for one another, which Betsy and Adair seem that they never will admit to each other.
I loved this book, which I’m not surprised about since I loved the first two books in this series, too. Lisa Sorbe tortured me continuously throughout this book in the best possible way. By alternating the present day with the past, she has the reader trying to figure out what happened to Betsy at age 14 on July 4th that affected her life in such a negative way, and had me hoping that the clues that she sets up don’t lead to the outcome that I suspect. But I am very pleased with what happens in the end because the character of Betsy ends up dealing with her problems in a healthy way. Lisa Sorbe’s characters are very interesting because she writes interesting back stories for all of them. I always feel satisfied when I finish reading her books. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves a good romance.
Beneath the Shine (The Prairie Tales) (Volume 3)
By Lisa Sorbe
5 Stars
Beneath the Shine by Lisa Sorbe is the 3rd book in her Prairie Tales series and the first time for me reading this author. What can I say but where has she been all my life. Ms. Sorbe takes the familiar friends to lovers’ type of book and gives you SO much more.
Betsy Kline looks like she has the world at her fingertips. But that is far far from the truth. No one sees beneath the shine. No one except for her friend Adair. From him, she cannot hide.
Adair McTaggart sees the real Betsy. He knows her hearts desires. He knows her secrets. But when fate takes it’s turn and close quarters show them both what they have been missing, will Adair be able to open his heart for something more? And will Betsy take the chance that her best friend can be that and more?
Lisa Sorbe writes an exceptional story for these two characters. Her ability to identify with the deep emotions and scars that Betsy is dealing with and covey them to the reader takes this book to the next level. Even though the subject matter at hand gets heavy sometimes, Ms. Sorbe does a wonderful job of not overwhelming the reader. From start to finish, Ms. Sorbe grabbed my attention and told a powerful story. This book has all the feels, friendship, romance, pain but by the end, you feel privileged to have been a part of the story. This is definitely a book you want to pick up. As a matter of fact, you might just want to add this author to your one-click list.
Beneath the Shine (A Prairie Tale #3)
By Lisa Sorbe
Rated 4 stars
The story is a good one and it’s places in Iowa so kudos for that. I wanted to say I struggled with the characters. About halfway (or a little more) through the book I found out I started caring about them. I was surprised by the end of the book that I didn’t want to put it down. I enjoyed the storyline…a Scottish man in Iowa! Huh? Making his own brew…now I can see that!
From the beginning where the character talks about the shine. I was blown away. I never thought about it like that but what she’s saying..so true.
This is my first book by this author and of this series. So it can be read as a stand alone but I am thinking the previous characters showed up her more than a couple times. .
Beneath The Shine by Lisa Sorbe
Four Stars
Beneath The Shine is the third book in A Prairie Tale Series by Lisa Sorbe. This book can definitely be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend you read the whole series because the first two books are just that good. This story flowed from beginning to end, and the characters are true to life and relatable.
Betsy is a young woman with an almost perfect life, but she is also battling a confidence problem from thing that happened to her when she was younger. Adair is a good friend, who Betsy is starting to have feelings for. Clint is her current boyfriend and she is having mixed emotions about him. This book is emotional, and had me reaching for a tissue more than once. This is a great book with wonderful characters and I highly recommend it to and one looking for a summer romance.
4 Stars
Beneath the Shine is the third book in A Prairie Tale Series by Lisa Sorbe. This book comes in as number three in this series of standalones. The other two books ‘One Fluttering Heartbeat” book #1, and “Found in Silence” book #2, are both wonderful stories too, so if you haven’t read them yet, you will most probably decide that you really want to get your hands on them, especially after reading this one.
Betsy has what most would consider to be a great life, but her reality is far from perfect. She is really just going through the motions of life, putting on a ‘shine’ for the world to see- when she has actually been quite lost for a long time. She keeps a secret that she has never revealed to anyone- the memory of which plagues her days and haunts her nights- never letting her fully embrace life. I was very quickly emotionally invested in the outcome of Betsy’s story and rooting for her the whole way through. Adair is her good friend, and there is a lot more to him than my first impression. I really grew to love him as a character as well. I really didn’t like Clint at all, the whole way through till the last few chapters when he redeemed himself in my eyes. Her family are just awful, I wanted to abduct her and adopt her into my family. Such horrible people. But I guess the fact that I felt so strongly about fictional characters is just another testament to Ms. Sorbe’s supreme writing skills.
I found this story to be a little heavier in content and more emotional than the first two. Maybe because I could personally relate to what Betsy had been through. As the story unfolded, transitioning from past to present to help fill in the backstory, my heart broke for what Betsy had been forced to endure. I really wanted to hug her so badly. But there was so much more to this superb friends to lovers romance story- and I really enjoyed watching the characters growth and development over the course of the story. It was a little slow to get going, but once the pace picked up the story really took off.
I really can’t wait to see what the author does next!
Thank you, Ms. Sorbe!
Beneath the Shine by Lisa Sorbe is the third book in the Prairie Tales series. I really liked this book a lot and just on the cusp of loving it. I feel like an opportunity was lost in a few ways.
Betsy would give the shirt off her back or go out of her way to help a friend but refuses to give herself the same consideration. She has dealt with some trauma in the past and it has caused her to feel less than worthy.
Adair could call me any time just so I could listen to his Scottish brogue. He is a giant teddy bear and isn’t afraid to show it.
I have enjoyed this series and I hope this isn’t the last book.
Beneath The Shine (Prairie Tales book 3)
Written by Lisa Sorbe
5 out of 5 stars
Beneath the Shine is the third book in Lisa Sorbe’s Prairie Tales series and the third book I’ve read by this author. If you haven’t read any of this series before I highly recommend it! The books are all stand alone reads so you can pick one up without reading the rest but it’s more fun to see how life’s intertwine.
I really enjoyed this novel, while it is a slower read the writing is almost poetic and engaging, I couldn’t put the book down. Immediately when we meet the main character and hear her perspective on people and their facades I was hooked.
Lisa Sorbe has a knack for writing amazing stories with incredibly real, relatable and memorable characters. Whether you have been through the same or similar situations or something entirely different the writing style helps you feel what the character feels. Great book, great series, great author. I’ll be anxiously awaiting more whether it be in this series or separate!
Beneath the Shine is the third book in the Prairie series, this is the first book I have read by this author and enjoy it greatly.
The story for me started slow, but as the story progressed you got to see the feelings between the two main character increase. Betsy’s is a strong, smart character who has had heartbreak in her past. Adair was a great complimentary character to Betsy and the banter between the two of them was great to read.
I would have loved to have got more the background story with Adair but you only get to the know the story of his background through Betsy’s eyes, although I have not read the other two stories this maybe already have been set within these stories.
I would like to read the first two books in this series and more books by this author, this story was well written and the characters were rich and were easily likeable people.
Beneath the Shine is the third book in Lisa Sorbe’s Prairie Tale series and it was a long time coming! I loved the first two books and the third one did not let me down either! You can read it as a standalone but it is always a pleasure to encounter the characters you recognize from the previous books so I warmly recommend to read the first two books (and they are fantastic in their own rights so you are making yourself a disservice not reading them!)
Beneath the Shine is the story of Betsy and Adair. The story takes you on a journey, a slow journey (but not a boring one, slow does not mean boring) of finding one’s way from devastating event that has overshadowed one’s life since childhood to recognizing that one is worth so much more … There are demons, right, but there is also being the best friends ever, being there for each other, and there is also love and passion … It is also a story of daring finally to go outside the little box that one has put themselves and their life into and seeing that it was not too crazy to dream …
The way the writer tells the story, it sort of sooths you and you do not even realize that hours have gone by while journeying along Betsy and Adair. I am really curious to see who is next in the line for their story!
BENEATH THE SHINE is the third story in the Prairie Tales Book but can be read as a stand-alone.
It took me three books to realize that “Prairie Tales” could actually be a take on fairy tales. This one could be similar to Cinderella, perhaps. A sad backstory, a perceived unrequited crush, a misunderstanding, and a whole lot after that. I might be stretching a little bit to make the point here, but you know what I mean.
This author has a style for writing that paints a picture and helps the emotion of a story. Characters are well written and defined. This is a slowwwwww burn that I’m glad I stuck with.
This is my favorite quote (and something that I very much agree with):
“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”
Beneath the Shine (Prairie Tales Book 3) by Lisa Sorbe is a contemporary romance. It was a little slow to warm up to but hang in there because it gets good and you find that you can’t put it down. Lisa writes well and makes you feel connected to the characters and takes you on an emotional ride. They are real and oh so raw. The story of our female lead was heartbreaking and I enjoyed watching her grow and finally come out the other side finally at peace. Of course there is a best friend that helps along the way with some love and understanding and laughs.
All in all a story that is worth the read.
Beneath the Shine by Lisa Sorbe
Five Stars
So flipping heart breaking. Surviving after such an awful experience is amazing. I couldn’t imagine being so young and alone dealing with the type of trauma Betsy did. This story was so real for me. The more I got to know Betsy the more she felt like me. She is a very relatable character even though our situations are different. I love the name Adair. I loved his accent and overall personality. I want someone to call me bonny lass in a very sexy accent. The author has given us a great story about love, regret, pain, suffering, and low self-esteem. I will be on the look put for more from this author.
Beneath the Shine (A Prairie Tale #3) by Lisa Sorbe was a fun, slow burn read that seeks up on you and that gets those feels worked up. You’re in the middle for you know you’ve begun.
Not my first read by this author, or in this series. These are all in the same universe but can be read as stand-a-alones, so no worries if you read these out of order. I suggest reading the other books cause, they are just as fun, light hearted, and feels invoking as this one.
I really like slow burn romances, and but there is a such thing as too slow, as I found in this book. It takes about about 35% into the book before you’re truly captured. And because I don’t like not finishing books I push myself, even if I’m not into the content. Sticking with this book paid off in the end, cause, when this book picked up.. it F’en showed up! So please, if you’re into this series, or just happen to stumble across this book, don’t get put off by the slow start. It is well wort your time and energy to finish this book.
I very much enjoyed our MC’s and their growing attraction. Like I said it was that slow burn that really made a impact when they finally threw themselves at one another. Outside of that that, our main MC/star Betsy was a treat to read about, I liked her attitude and I loved just who well rounded and complex she was.
There are other bits of the story that get you in the feel department, I’m talking the sad kind, so, be prepared. If you want you know what I mean, you are just going to have to read this book. This is a spoiler free zone.
Overall this was a perfect weekend read that got all my feel worked up in a frenzy. So please take my high recommendation that you will get sucked punched, and not be able to put this book down!
Happy Reading
-E.A. Walsh
Beneath the Shine by Lisa Sorbe was the first book I’ve read by this author. The characters in the book are so life like I felt like I was part of the story or that I could call them up and go hang out. Betsy is such a complex character and Adair is so sweet and patient. On the outside Betsy looks like she has the perfect life, great job, perfect boyfriend, great best friend. She does love her job and her best friend but the boyfriend just looks “perfect”. He won’t get a job and pretty much ignores Betsy. So when her apartment they share becomes unlivable and they live apart for awhile will they realize they are not meant to be and Betsy really loves someone else and will Betsy continue to relive her past and think she doesn’t deserve to be happy??? Read Beneath the Shine to find out!
Beneath The Shine by Lisa Sorbe is the third book in her Prairie Tales series. And entertaining of hidden desires and secrets that can’t quite stay secret.
Betsy has made her life look perfect – a great job with an ok boss, a boyfriend everyone would want and a great group of friends. But behind the facade lies a tangled web of emotions. Self-loathing is prevalent in her life, and behind closed doors it rules every decision she ever makes.
When Betsy has to share her space with her friend Adair – hunky, great accent – things start to unravel. She starts imagining him in ways she never has. And yet as much as she might want to act ok these feelings she has to suppress them, because she will never be good enough for him. Or will she?
I really enjoyed reading this book. I hadn’t read any of the others in the series but that did not matter. As a new author to me I went in open minded and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the writing style. The story flowed really well and easily took me along on the journey. I enjoyed Betsy’s characters, I found her to be entertaining and found myself smiling at her more than once. But there was still the emotional side which sucked you in even further. And overall great book.
Beneath the Shine (Prairie Tales book 3) by Lisa Sorbe
4 stars
This was a great book! We follow Betsy and Adair, and the rocky and confusing road they take to each other.
Betsy has struggled with feeling worth anyone’s time and energy all her life. Her parents and grandmother did a number on her self esteem, but she doesn’t let that stop her completely.
Adair is from Scotland and is best friends with Betsy. We only learn about him through Betsy so there’s a lot we dont see.
I really liked this story and all the side characters as well. Great read!
Lisa Sorbe wrote a unique story with Beneath The Shine (A Prairie Tale book 3). This is Betsy story and it’s complicated, and sad, but hopeful. Beneath the Shine was different then what I’m used to the story goes from past to present in Betsy’s point of view. You learn why she is the way she is along with her thoughts, wants and needs. Adair is her Scottish friend and they have a unique friendship, as the story progresses their friendship gets tested when they become room mates. The storyline for Beneath the Shine was kind of slow to me, I was good but I couldn’t find that hook that made me feel like I had to finish it in one reading. With that being said it wasn’t a bad story, it’s just one you read slowly and take everything in that’s being said. Adair and Betsy have a great friendship and when they combust from all the hidden frustration and desire it’s a nice big erotic explosion.
Beneath the Shine is another masterclass novel in the Prairie Tales series written by Lisa Sorbe. Yet again, I was captivated and taking on an exciting and imaginative story that had quite an impact.
Betsy was a character who did everything anyone wanted but held herself back. She was a very reserved character who would not let herself relax and get attached. Adair was a happy go lucky Scot who idolised Betsy, but her self worth would not allow her to see it. Their friendship was long and the physical attraction palpable. Their feelings for each other were always there and grew stronger by the day, but denied this and she kept him at arm’s length. It was quite a merry dance these characters led me on. A sexy entertainer that was a delight to read. 5 stars.
5 Star
Beneath The Shine(Prairie Tales Book 3)by Lisa Sorbe is the third book in her Prairie Tales Series.Ive enjoyed every book in this series but this one is by far my favorite.I can relate to Betsy’s character on so many levels. She’s a very smart woman who loves to help others but is sometimes self confident. Thank goodness for great friendsthat are there for her whenever she needs some advise or even support.Besty likes to try and keep her past a secret even her best friends But when her and One of her best friends Adair become roommates, her feelings for him are now stronger and so hard to ignore.Will her past play apart in her future and true love?Find out the answers to these questions and more by grabbing this book.i highly recommend reading this book heck the whole series is great.i can’t wait to read more from this author.