In a split second, life can steal a last breath … and derail all future plans. While flying home after a phone call that left me heartbroken, a row to myself would have been ideal. Instead, I was unknowingly sitting shoulder to shoulder with a strikingly attractive single dad and ex-Marine. I could have pretended not to notice the man, but there was something familiar about him. It didn’t take …
It didn’t take long before I pieced together where I knew him from or why he was back in my life.
With chaos holding me hostage, I wanted to hide but couldn’t avoid Brett Pearson, our old family friend, and my teenage crush, because he kindly offered to help out with my family’s business—The Barrel House.
Handling my father’s distillery would be a distraction from my brutal reality. Except, I never paid close attention to the art of making bourbon, unlike Brett, who was full of bourbon knowledge. He offered to teach me a thing or two, but all I could focus on was the way his lips moved when he spoke to me.
I needed to grieve, and my head was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but my heart was splitting at the seams.
Bourbon was spilled, drinks were shared, but could passion ignite from a dying last wish?
*Bourbon Love Notes is a small-town second-chance angsty romance.
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Shari J Ryan is becoming one of my favorite authors to read.
This angsty little number is such a beautiful story. Emotional and heartbreaking, alot of true life reality, so many can relate to. Definitely one to read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*Spoilers* I have found Shari Ryan to write humorous stories and some that move me or touch on difficult experiences and the way these experiences affect her characters and their relationships with each other. This was another of those stories that made me grieve with her characters who have to cope with a sudden loss. In this story the heroine finds out that her father has a cancer recurrence which was discovered too late for any treatment to be successful. She immediately leaves her relationship, which was going nowhere, and returns to her hometown. Once there, she must deal with her father’s quick decline, reconnecting with her older sister and supporting her mother, making a decision about what she and her sister will do with the family b, and coming face -to-face with the boy who had been her teenage crush which had never truly gone away. The reader can feel the crushing grief of losing a parent with very little time to prepare . Simultaneously, she has to face ending a long term relationship which was no longer meeting her needs and reconnecting with the people from her past and falling in love. It was a short book, so everything seemed very quick, almost condensed, but the characters had depth and their emotions impacted me. I recommend giving this story a try. I always love a story where, despite significant struggle, the characters are able to work through to the other side of grief and loss.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love this authors books, I had now read a few and this one was no different. To get in at the beginning on a new series is just an extra bonus. This is book one in The Barrel House series and we are off to a fantastic start, readers. Warning, have the tissues handy. Meet Melody and Brett. Melody receives a heartbreaking phone and is flying home when she finds herself next to someone from her past, Brett. Melody is looking after the family business and needs help with the bourbon making part, she never really paid much attention to that part but Brett did. Brett is a single father and old family friend and he is willing to help Melody learn the making bourbon part of the business. This is an emotional roller coaster of so much more. As always a great story that will leave shuttering and smiling. I cannot to read more of these siblings and more of what this author may have in store for them. Highly recommend this read. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Melody leaves a relationship that’s headed no where, to some home to spend time with her dying father. She’d like to stay and help run his distillery as a tribute to him, and he already has Brett there to help out. Brett – her teenage crush, they shared one very memorable kiss years ago. Melody, her mother, and her sister are run through the wringer with the decline and death of their father/husband. As heart-wrenching as was, it was also beautiful to watch this family come together even when they feel like they’re falling apart. I loved watching Brett and Melody figure them out, friends at first, then more. There was some very ugly crying part of the time, but I also shed many tears of joy – you will need tissues. This is my first book from this author, and I’m looking forward to more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a good story. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride. That story line has drama grief and loss.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book took us into the lives of a family dealing with a terminal diagnosis for a husband and father with cancer and dealing with the short time remaining. Melody, and her sister,Journey deal with their pain and grief differently. A powerful and emotional story that brought feelings of denial, hopefulness, helplessness, grief and acceptance of life. After living with her boyfriend of 4 yrs , Melody re-evaluates her relationship with Ace and realizes he has no intention of making a commitment to marriage and family She has felt this way for over a year and finally ends it before returning home to spend time with her dad.. It also reunites Melody and her high school crush in a beautiful way. A well written story with realistic and heartwarming characters. A MUST read, but have tissues available. I hope we get a story about Journey, and Brett’s brother Brody.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This poignant story will take you on an emotional journey with Brett and Melody. It is touching and words cannot give justice to the story I read. Melody and Brett will touch your heart having you think about this story long after its read because it is that good. Shari has written a story that draws you in where you are right there with the characters as this one opens up before you in your mind.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I could not have asked for a better read for my soul at this time than this book. While the topic of Melody’s dad is a hard one to read about this book and the characters were so good for my soul. The story had a very steady pace to it and learning about each of the characters and their backgrounds, baggage etc were at the perfect pace.
I am not sure that I even know where to begin writing a review for this because it is truly an awesome experience.
The author did such a great job developing the characters, that I feel like I really know them, and not just the major two characters, but the minor ones too.
I loved everything about it – the characters, the plot, the emotion, the writing, and the ability that the author had to tell me a story that had me wanting this book to go on and on.
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bourbon Love Notes is part of The Barrel House Series and is a heartbreaking and emotional love story.
The characters are realistic and likable. The storyline is well written and endearing, with humour, heartbreak, denial, loss, grief, friendship, family, and a second chance for love.
I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
First of all, I think it bears pointing out that the blurb on this book, while beautifully written, just scratches the surface and only hints at what’s in store for the reader. Its done in such a way, though, that an astute reader will pick up on the undercurrent and realize that this one goes deep. This is a phenomenal, emotional read that I highly recommend, but knowing that some topics are sensitive for some readers, it’s only fair to share that while this book is about finding love, it’s about finding love in the midst and aftermath of loss, grief and pain.
Had I found this book a year ago after losing my father, or this past April after nearly losing my husband, I would not have been able to make my way through it. I’m not usually an emotional person and rarely cry over a book, but I had tears in my eyes most of the way through this one.
Having said that, I saw every bit of the grief, pain and emotion that I had experienced through my own circumstances portrayed so accurately in this story, it’s as if the writer was looking deep into my soul and recording what she saw, right down to the paralyzing fear and the compulsive busyness in an effort to escape thoughts and feelings. It’s so superbly done and beautifully handled that all of those feelings welled back up to the surface, with my heart suspended in a bitter sweetness, then leaving me with a closure so effective that a calming peace and joyful gratitude are all that remained.
I can always, always count on a heart-rending, poignant journey when reading this lady’s work. She has a way of infusing her heart and soul into her manuscript that reaches deep inside the reader and makes her books an all-consuming experience, rather than simply a ‘read’. I feel like my emotions have been pureed in a blender, but I’m left with characters who will live forever in my soul, a quiet fulfillment, and a sense that a part of me is transformed for having had this experience.
Melody and Brett’s story is stunning and powerful, and the symbolism between the bourbon-making process and personal relationships is meaningful and memorable. This story is gut-wrenching and sorrowful, yet shares profound insights into loss and grief while offering wisdom on healing, celebrating life, and reclaiming happiness. Easily one of my top reads for this new year and worthy of far more than five stars, it’s impossible to read this consuming, emotional story without your heart being forever changed.
The list is endless of books that can make me smile, however not many books manage to make me cry. This book was able to do both in an amazing way. It takes a wonderfully talented writer to provoke such a reaction. Shari Ryan is a talent like I haven’t seen in quite some time. Through the words sprawled out on the pages, I felt like I was right there…sharing in the grief and despair. Melody and Brett bring the reader on for a journey for the ages. The story also introduces a few characters that I hope the author follows up on in later books. But for now, I am going to go take my emotionally spent heart and grab a tissue. If you are looking for a book that will not only make you feel good, but take you on the ride of a lifetime….look no further.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story pulled me in from the first page. So well written you won’t find it easy to stop reading in order to put the book down and get some things done. The characters are so well developed and easy to love and get to know. This is a story of family, love and loss, grief and plenty of other emotions. A wonderful love story. Like Shari’s other stories, this one will stay with you long after you read the last word.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found this to be a very emotional book. The story was well-written and combined the romance and grief realistically. The characters were real and, as said, the story was good. I do think it does need to have a bit more of the underlying grief noted in the blurb.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brett and Melody’s story was full of emotion, love and dealing with loss. Brett was an old family friend and willing to help Melody with her father’s bourbon business. He also went after a relationship with her. Melody’s pain and grief were so relatable and brought me to tears. This is a great read.
The book is a good sweet small town romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. The story is an enjoyable sweet romance read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sometimes it takes one of the hardest things you have to go through in life, to open your eyes. And then take the next steps. That’s what Bourbon Love Notes is about.
This story gives a whirlwind of different feelings. From watching Melody and her family deal with loss, to Melody accepting love into her life you can’t put this book down. It was emotional and honest. Ms Ryan has a way with words, that brings you into every story. I highly recommend Bourbon Love Notes.
This is the first book by Shari J. Ryan that I have read and I must say that I was impressed with her writing style. This book is about Melissa and her family dealing with the death of her father and how Melissa, her sister, and mother pulls together. Brett Pearson is the person who Melissa’s father got to take over the running of The Barrel House which is a Bourbon Distillery and store. Melissa is not happy about this. Brett is someone who she had a crush on when she was 17. Melissa wants to learn everything about the store and distillery. Brett is there for her and the more time they spend together the more her feelings for him grow.
This was a wonderful, emotional and heartfelt book that I would recommend to anyone.
I received an ARC of this book for my voluntarily and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Lock the door and get comfy because once you start this one you won’t want to put it down but be warned you are going to need the tissues for this emotional read. The storyline was wonderful and I was hooked and ended up reading into the early hours I would recommend this book I just loved it
I love the way this author writes her stories, whether it’s her laugh out loud comedies or her heartbreaking, emotional stories. You can relate to her stories. This story is family, and friends, second chance, first kiss, and loss. Brett is a great guy, he was Melody’s first crush, and now he’s the one who’s helping her when she’s struggling most. I liked them together. I felt everything the characters did, the rawness, the heartache, and I shed so many tears (have tissue nearby, your gonna need it). Also for me it hit close to home what Melody was going through, and feeling, because I just found out my dad is ill.