For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the dark to my sister’s light—the awkward loner to her social butterfly. Growing up, she had it all: our parent’s unyielding approval, perfect grades, a permanent spot at the popular table, and the attention of the hottest guy ever—Duke Kincaid. After eighteen years of living in her shadow, I couldn’t wait to escape—to finally be my own person. Yet here I … Yet here I am, I’m back in my hometown, once again in Valorie’s shadow. Only now, it’s eternal.
I had life all planned out: join the force, marry Valorie Parsons, and start a family of our own. I have the job, but the girl and all my dreams died before my very eyes.
At the urging of my friends, I agree to a blind date. Imagine my shock when I arrive and find, Valorie’s twin sister, waiting across the table from me. Mallory should be a reminder of all that I’ve lost, but instead she feels like my redemption . . . like maybe life’s giving me a second chance.
But, how can I be enough for her when I’ve already given her sister the best of me?
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My poor heart! I’m not sure how it was possible for my heart to survive this journey, this deeply emotional rollercoaster!
Duke and Mallory stole my heart and my soul. Their connection captivated me and the power of their feelings for each other took my breath away. I was dying for them to finally be together without troubles coming up. My heart hurt for them and with them. It was impossible not to feel the grief, the guilt, the pain, the overwhelming sadness and every other emotion these characters felt.
They have such a complicated situation to deal with, but there is no denying how much they wanted to be together. I loved how they fought for each other, how they fought to overcome their past and the darkness that surrounds them. I swooned with them, laughed with them and of course cried with them. As much as there is a good amount of angst in the story, there are so many sweet and swoony moments these two share.
A fantastic, heartfelt and sweet story.
Duke and Mallory- wow- what a story. Best of Me is a book that broke my heart for Mallory’s past and made me fall in love with her because of her strength.
Duke- I loved watching him grow in this book. How he opened up and took a chance on love.
The supportive characters in this book are amazing. I loved the history from LK Farlow’s other books but still can be a standalone. I love how this book made me feel.
Just another incredible book by LK Farlow!
Best of Me by LK Farlow
5 +++ STARS
What an incredible incredible story! What an emotional roller coaster! Kept my interest throughout!
“When she died, she took the best of me right along with her, leaving a shell of the man I was before. Sure, I still joke and cut up and smile, but fake it ‘til you make it, right? Only, how in the hell am I supposed to make it without the woman I love by my side?”
“Mallory is an amazing woman. She is kind and caring and so fucking good— no thanks to either of you— and I love her. Do you hear me? I. Love. Her. And I won’t stand for the way you treat her. She deserves nothing but the best and you both are fucking toxic. From here on out you will leave her alone. You will not hurt her again, not ever. Do you hear me?”
Loved it hard!
Oh This Book, Y’all! My Poor heart.Broken only to be put back together in one perfectly sweet and gooey piece. Duke and Mallory were inevitable.That is all there is to it. Now, we met Duke in Best of Intentions. He is Nate’s partner on the Police Force. His and Mallory’s story really begins, a couple of years after a horrible tragedy claimed the life of his childhood sweetheart Valorie, on the day was going to ask her to marry him. This left him an annihilated, heartbroken mess. He is not your typical devastated man-ho from some of the romance novels you are used to. He hasn’t been able to move on from his ONE. He’s not running from bed to bed, and mean to the whole world. He just can’t seem to let himself be with anyone else, and he had tried. He really is a great guy, an awesome friend, super HAWT Cop.
He’s okay with not being with anyone. THEN! Nate and his fiancee’, Jenny decided to orchestrate a blind date of sorts with Jenny’s new tenant. The world STOPS.
When Mallory, the twin sister of the dead love of his life shows up, it really knocks him for a loop.
“She’s pretty much the physical embodiment of the life lost, of the love I lost, which makes her the last person on earth I want to see, much less welcome into our friend group.”
Duke finds himself in a whirlwind of emotions. He harbors some deep feelings towards Mallory for leaving home years ago, which in turn hurt her sister. He was left to pick up the pieces of not only his own heart, but Valorie’s devastated parents as well. Duke is torn between his loyalty to his dead girl and they girl who looks like a carbon copy. Will he be able to let go of his guilt enough to grab onto this second chance at love?
I was so instantly in love with Mallory’s character. Her whole backstory. GAH! I’ve never wanted justice and a picture perfect outcome. She just deserved a REDO!! She was smart and sassy and beautiful. So much more that she knew. She needed someone to see her, HER! Her movement back too close to her hometown was not an easy one, but she quickly made a great group of friends. I loved them all and she fit right in. Of course Duke is a huge part of that group. Instantly she was a bundle of jumbled up feelings around Duke.. She herself was not only dealing with hurt and guilt from the loss of her sister, but the feelings that she was beginning to feel for Duke.There was definitely some leftover stuff from her childhood that left her feeling less than. Would Duke ever look at her and see her or only see a replacement of what he could have had?
“The way he looked at me afterward, his face full of some unidentifiable emotion—I can’t help but wonder, was he seeing me, or a memory of my sister? The thought is paralyzing.”
This book is deliciously gut wrenching, yet will perfectly put you back together. LK Farlow was brilliant in her ability to weave in the perfect amount of humor, sass and feisty females. The witty banter and oh so sweet heat make this your next, MUST read five star- for
all the feels romance!
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book.
My cr8zysockbookblock overall ratings for this book!
– SO IN LOVE!! Devoured, Could not put it down. I LOL’d, Cried, I rooted for this couple. I wanted to throw my kindle and my panties. So that tells you it was a well rounded, awesome read for me!! I read this book in just over a day. Fast paced, funny, witty banter, great characters.
– This book was hot, when you get there. There is lots of push and pull, due to the subject of the book.I found the build up to be great.
Cliffhanger Warning- No cliffy, but I want more from this great small town of characters!!
OH. MY. FEELS. Seriously all the emotions with this one y’all. I knew this was going to be an emotional journey given Duke’s back story. What I wasn’t expecting was for Mallory’s story to be just as tragic if not more so. Even though they technically experienced the same loss I still felt like her wounds ran much deeper for a few different reasons. Together it made for a serious struggle to get to their HEA. I’ve enjoyed each of the couples that came before this story but Duke and Mallory hold my overall favorite couple. I can’t recommend this story enough. And I definitely recommend checking out Best Laid Plans and Best of Intentions as well.
Best of Me is a forbidden contemporary romance. While this is a standalone, characters from two previous books Best Laid Plans and Best of Intentions do appear in this one. I loved these characters from the previous books so it was great to see them again in this one. This is more emotional and heartbreaking than I had anticipated. The prologue immediately ripped me apart, and continued from there. Mallory has had a rough childhood. She’s lived in her twin sister, Valorie’s shadow since she was born. A year after a car accident took Valorie’s life, Mallory moves to a new town for a new job. She makes some new friends and is forced on a blind date. Unfortunately for her, she comes face to face with her twin sister’s boyfriend, Duke. Duke is shocked to see her and doesn’t take it well. It’s a very slow burn with both characters fighting their unexpected feelings for each other. The writing was good, paced well and had an interesting storyline that kept me invested throughout the book. And the epilogue was extra sweet. If you enjoy forbidden romance, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved Duke and Mallory’s story so much! Even with such a big thing keeping them apart they fight for their happy ending. I am sad to see the end of this series but I have loved each book so much! I can’t for more from LK Farlow!
I rarely read blurbs for books, but I did for this one and it intrigued me. I couldn’t wait for Duke’s story and this was on emotional ride.
Duke lost his love. He was a shell of a man. Just going through the motions of life. A year after the tragedy that forever changed his life, he runs into the one person he hates, the one person who reminds him most of the loss he experienced. Mallory hasn’t been this close to her home town in years, a place that holds terrible memories. When she runs into Duke, she knows how he feels about her, what she reminds him of. But when the truth finally comes out will that change everything?
Duke and Mallory’s story was forbidden in a sense, but you can’t fight who you love. You can’t fight who makes you feel complete, who makes you feel like you’re living your life again. This story is an emotional slow burn. Their story is broke my heart, but it also mended it back together.
I LOVE THIS BOOK! This review was difficult to write, because it is honestly one book you just need to read for yourself. It is worth a million stars.
With Duke and Mallory, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. They definitely could not be in the room without going at each other’s throats, or lips. Even though the connection was unconventional, they seemed to be a perfect fit. They both needed each other to help them get over their loss, and I think Mallory really needed someone to not only need, but to want her. I really liked that it was a slow burn and that they had to take a little time to work through their struggles. Loved it!
She was always second best, unwanted, belittled, not good enough. Then she left.
Now shes reluctantly back!
Their eyes on each other, the world stops. What happens next?
A book full of storms and rainbows, a story of hope and finding peace. Beautiful!
The steps to their dance, the music they play, the angst they feel it all plays on your heartstrings.
It’s quite thought provoking, what would you feel, do you agree or would you walk away, and I like that in a read.
The characters are both broken, but looking to rebuild their lives. The storm has dealt its damage, devestated their worlds and now they have a choice.
I love how the books are interconnected and bring together all the past characters and oh my gosh Tatum!! shes still such a cutey!!
I could read about these characters forever and a day given the chance!
L.K Farlow will capture your heart and fill your mind with this shattering yet heart warming read.
I was immediately hooked on page 1 and could not put this book down. Duke was dealt a heartbreaking hand that left him just going through the motions of living. Mallory’s past is absolutely gut wrenchingly horrific yet she is a beautiful, strong, intelligent and independent woman. Their paths cross, misunderstandings and secrets come to light causing all the feels. LK Farlow did a fabulous job telling their story with tears, some laughter, drama, and love. I highly recommend this book … well I recommend the whole series lol. Absolute perfection!
Duke lost the love of his life suddenly. He didn’t think he’d ever fall for anyone again. Then he met Mallory and he wasn’t sure he could stop it even if he wanted. Mallory moved to town for teaching position and a fresh start. She didn’t get along with Duke at first but now she is falling. Will she allow herself to fall? Can Duke allow himself to love again?
The book had so much depth and feeling to it! So many emotions! It made my heart break. And yet still made me smile. This book is my favorite yet by LK Farlow. The words flow so well and create a story of of so much heartache and yet full of so much heart. You won’t want to miss this one!
5 Learning to Trust in Love Again!!!
What an emotional rollercoaster this book took me one. I mean from the very beginning of the book I was in tears…totally wasn’t expecting that!! But, Ms. Farlow sometimes surprises me like this which absolutely makes me love her writing because I’m just never sure what she’s going to put me through!!
This is the story of Duke and Mallory and it’s somewhat forbidden given that Duke was in love with and planning to marry Mallory’s twin sister Valorie. But through a series of events, her life ended way too young and this event destroyed our Hero to the point that he swore he would never fall in love again. Imagine his shock when Mallory comes home after being away for over a decade and unbeknownst to each other they’re “setup on a date” by Nate and Jenny, whom we’ve met and fell in love with in previous books in this series. And let’s just say, it didn’t go well!!
Both of them are hurting deep inside in different ways, but nonetheless finding love isn’t in their plans, but it’d sure be nice if Duke would stop giving her the evil eye! I loved how Mallory stood up for herself when Duke got in her face. She disappeared from their hometown for a reason, but Duke will soon find that out and needless to say, it changes things for him.
This couple are definitely put through the ringer from different people in this book and I sometimes wanted to slap one or both of them upside the head! What can’t be denied is the attraction they’re experiencing and getting over the guilt they may feel was written beautifully by Ms. Farlow. This could go really wrong or really right and thanks to her storytelling it went oh so right!! One of the most important things I so appreciated in this book is the slow-burn between our H/h. This just made it that much hotter when they finally took that step!
This book has everything I love about a somewhat “forbidden” romance in that we’ve got angst, slow burning sexual chemistry, secondary characters that I already love and adore, especially Tater Tot and story that shows it’s okay to love again!
“LK Farlow has been added to my all time favorite authors!”
I apologize but I am going to go a different route for my review. I was recommend to read LK, by a friend. I not only devoured her first two books in one day, I was gifted an arc for, Best of Me and I am left speechless.
This is hands down, the best book LK has published. Her writing is so easy, and the next thing you know you have read 5 chapters.
I can not express to you how much you need to read this. They are a standalone stories, but I recommend reading in order will give you the BEST reading experience.
A few teasers, to leave you wanting more!!
“Books, huh? You a big reader?” “I love it. Probably because fictional characters were the only friends I had growing up. “
“We won’t know if we don’t try. Take a chance with me.”
This author is really good at making you fall so completely in love with these characters you feel like you are apart of their family. I just felt so comfortable reading this book maybe its the southern in me and these characters are southern, I’m not sure but I loved it. This read did break me a little, in school pickup,(I was looking like a fool), before it heals you.
Mallory went into this facing an uphill battle, People didn’t realize her past, and held it against her that she left to better herself. She was Strong and Thank Goodness she made friends in her new little life to help her along.
Duke the entire read I just wanted to hug him, then punch him in the goods, then hug him. He was broken and then to watch him discover that it’s ok to move on, it made me feel lighter. Yes, there was guilt on multiple parts, but the author didn’t make it a never-ending obstacle. I absolutely loved that their friends were such a major part, to not only listen but to give some kick booty advice. Duke really redeemed himself in my eyes and I just love him and the character that he became.
Perfectly Heartwarming story that begins with a tragic accident. It was Fate
Since Duke lost the love of his life years ago, he has just been going through the motions. He enjoys his time with his friends, he enjoys his job, but he isn’t truly happy. His chance at true happiness died with Valarie.
Starting a new chapter in her life Mallory accepted a new teaching position and is new in town, when she makes friends she ends up bumping into the last person she ever thought she would, Duke, her dead twins boyfriend. For Duke seeing Mal is like a kick in the gut, so alike yet different at the same time. When Duke realizes that Mal is making him feel again, he is plagued with guilt. But there is just something about Mal that makes him want to try…. only question is, will he open himself up for that hurt again?
This was a good story, and pretty much had me hooked from the start. Giving us loads of drama, like tons, naughty bits that were ok, and some crazy danger, I give this 4 stars.
Wow, this story pulls at the heart strings. Duke and Valorie will have you feeling all the emotions. Duke, the hot cop that lost his fiancée in an accident, who happens to be Valorie’s twin. Valorie is the teacher, trying to live her life not in the shadows. Valorie and Duke have that enemies factor when they see each other and have to work things out. This story follows the journey Duke and Valorie go on and learn more about each other and reflect on the past. Will the past hinder Duke and Valorie’s connection? Take the time to read this beautiful story, you won’t be disappointed!
From the moment I read the summary of this book, I wanted to read it. The idea of a romance between a twin and her dead sister’s boyfriend intrigued me and Best of Me did not disappoint. From the way they reconnected to the bumps and turns along the way, LK Farlow managed to keep me interested and rooting for Mallory and Duke to get their happy ending. I loved how Mallory was her own person and Duke was drawn to her because of things that were uniquely her, not because he saw her sister.
One of LK Farlow’s talents is her character creation, continuously introducing new characters that make me want their story next and she did it again with Mallory’s best friend Ashley. I will keep my fingers crossed that I will get a chance to know her better in a later book.
What a read!!! I am never disappointed by Kate! Her work is always so emotional and raw. Duke & Mallory’s story is not traditional at all, in fact most of us would be uncomfortable with it but that doesn’t make it wrong. After both losing one of the most important people in each of their lives they come together and face that loss together. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so all I can say is get to reading you will not be disapointed at all!