Life isn’t a game. Life isn’t an empty bottle of bourbon spinning on a warehouse floor as I hold my breath. I feel weak when others perceive me as strong. I’m passionate though I appear to hate the world around me.I see beauty in all ugly things. I feel pain when I laugh. No one knows the truth.Well, no one knew the truth until now.Somehow, Brody Pearson understands more about me than anyone else … understands more about me than anyone else in my life. The severed connection should mean something significant, but I don’t know if I can forget all my self-proclaimed promises.
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I did enjoy this book but some parts were just so slow. I felt for Journey because of what happened with Adam but every major point in her life, up to when we get to the present, was like pulling teeth. It took forever to get her story out in the open.
Book 2 of The Barrel House is Brody and Journey’s story. Journey is riddled with guilt and sorrow, and she’s not one to reach out for support when she so clearly needs it. Brody has been playing little games with her for so long, and he’s finally decided to take matters into his own hands. I felt Journey’s pain, but the turning points in their relationship almost went on a little too long, yet in the end, it was worth the read! I loved Brody’s character, and Hannah was an over-the-top tween with a mouth on her. I would recommend reading Bourbon Love Notes to get more background on the characters and back story.
This is the 2nd book in The Barrel House Series
This is Journey and Brody’s story. This is a man who sees good in all especially Journey. All he wants is to see her smile.
Journey has so many secrets that they sometimes over whelm her. The characters are very well written, the chemistry is tangible.
This is a beautiful story full of emotions, hope and most of all love. Hope you get to read this book and series as they a just beautiful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow, this was an emotional read with heartbreak, tragedy, guilt, Hope, forgiveness and a true love. Journey and Brody’s story had it all. After everything Journey went through, she found forgiveness and let go of the guilt through a bottle of Bourbon on the rocks. A very well written storyline and wonderful characters. Ms Ryan also throws some humor in along the way too. I highly recommend this series
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I actually loved this book better than the first. Journey truly lives up to her name. She is on an emotional journey to free herself of guilt. Seven minutes of heaven with Brody turns into a lifetime of guilt for a tragedy for her ex boyfriend, Adam. This story is beautifully written. Brody never gives up on Journey. Loved, loved, loved his honor and how he shows Journey it is ok to move forward with her life! 5 stars
Book 2 in Ryan’s The Barrel House series. This one can be a stand alone but does include characters and scenes from book 1. This book focuses on Journey (love love love this name) and Brody. What a roller coaster of a journey this read will take you on! Laughter and heartbreak throughout. I love all of these characters but these two main characters are tough! At first Journey comes across a bit scattered and crazy (and she probably is) but her strength to survive the guilt she carries is unreal and Brody’s determination is commendable and he does everything with such a lightheartedness. I can’t help but wonder what his story is, that’s the missing piece for me. I hope we’ll get answers in more books to come! Amazing characters, great story line and flow. This series was already great but this read was just more. I really loved this read (and all the nuggets of wisdom found along the way).
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Absolutely fantastic story. One of the best so far this year. Couldn’t put it down
This is another great read. I love the characters and am happy with how the author gives us not only a well developed and engaging characters but a storyline you can sink your teeth into.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Shari does an amazing job with her writing and she can pull the reader in within the first words. An amazing story line of a single dad, second chance at romance, enemies to lovers tale. The characters are amazing, the writing is smooth flowing and this is the perfect book for your summer reading list.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the 2nd book in this standalone series. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride full of very detailed events and story line.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It’s been a few months since Dad died, and the family is still reeling. The early part of this book has some overlap with what happens at the end of the first book. Journey is still dealing with the guilt of kissing Brody at a high school party, and what happened to Adam in the aftermath. And now Brody’s back, and he wants her. I’ve been waiting on this book – I so loved the first one, and have been looking forward to Brody and Journey’s story. I thought nothing would ever beat Melody & Brett’s story. I was so wrong. Journey is real and flawed, and has taken on more guilt than one person should shoulder. That guilt has taken over her life, and she finally finds the strength to take it back. Brody is the perfect match for her. He won’t let go, won’t back down, supports her in everything, becoming the man she needs. And he does the same for his daughter. I love the back and forth banter between Brody and Journey. He certainly knows how to push her buttons. The notes and letters and gifts that she gets from her father after his death – get out the tissues. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in The Barrel House series. Welcome to another heartbreaking and sweet story from this author. Journey has lived up to her name. She is an interesting character that will make you tear up and then split your gut in laughter. Can Journey find happiness and shed the guilt for a HEA? Brody just may be the man to help her accomplish this. But make no mistake our Brody has a challenge or two himself to work through. A great, well written story that will have you hooked. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Journey Quinn is a photographer who is holding onto guilt from an accident that happened when she was 18 years old that she still can’t put behind her. Her father has recently passed away and Journey is struggling with his death on top of everything else but luckily her sister, Melody, is helping run the family business, The Barrel House.
Brody Pearson hasn’t seen Journey in years but that doesn’t mean he has forgotten about her. He is now a single father to Hannah and can see how much Journey is struggling.
Will Journey allow Brody to get close to her knowing he is also linked to the tragic accident that turned her life upside down? Will she allow him to shoulder some of the guilt so she will allow herself the forgiveness she needs to move on?
This was a wonderful story about forgiving ourselves for past mistakes and being able to heal and move on with our lives.
When you first meet Journey you can tell how much she is hurting about an accident that happened 15 years ago but you are never entirely sure what happened until part way through the book. I completely understood why she felt so guilty and why she struggled to still get over it.
I really liked Brody and knew right from the beginning that he was going to do whatever it took to win over Journey and help her heal. I also liked that we still had a lot of Hannah in the book as it’s important not to forget about her. I liked that Hannah went for a meal with Brody and Journey and everything that was discussed during that meal.
I was very happy when Journey talked to Brody about her past and her brief escape and why she needed to do so. I was also impressed that she shared a few more of her weaknesses with him and he was able to really understand everything that she was going through so he could help her heal.
The whole thing with the DVD’s was so impressive and I was doing a happy dance when Journey finally put all of the pieces together and realized that Brody was the one and how much he could help her heal.
The epilogue made me laugh pretty hard and I am looking forward to more!
By Rebecca
Brody and Journey’s story is complex. This book is a continuation from the first book in this series. I recommend that you read book 1 first so as to understand all the intricacies in this story. A great story with Brody and Journey and all their story has to offer. Heat, chemistry and more that will keep you reading all through the night!!
Oh my gosh! This book was ah-maz-ing! My emotions were all over the place with this one. Journey is not as flighty as I first thought when reading the first book in the series. She has carried some horrible grief for years. Brody was the last person she ever wanted to see again, but he became the person she had been needing.
I thought I could continue reading this book while on the treadmill at the gym (pre-Covid19). Well, I almost fell off the thing when I stumbled over my own feet after getting to “location 1681.” I didn’t see that little surprise coming! I also didn’t expect what happened at “location 3481” to happen either! Shari J. Ryan knows how to throw us readers for a loop.
“But those dam eyes of yours have said ‘please, help me’ after every one of those lying no’s.”
“I’m a cracked windshield waiting for the next hot or cold day to shatter me into an in-repairable state. ‘No one is unbreakable,’ I tell him.”
Wow, what an emotional ride Shari took me on with this book. But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised!
In the first book in this series, Journey was very standoffish and cold. Even though I could sympathize with losing her Daddy, I really didn’t care for her character very much. Well, all of that changed. I cried with Journey thru this book, I took the ride with her and my heart ached with her.
Enter Brody Pearson. No matter how high Journey builds her walls, Brody is slowly chipping them away. Deep down Journey wants someone to be strong for her, but she doesn’t feel like she deserves it. Brody very slowly becomes a person that Journey learns that she can lean on. No matter how many curve balls she throw his way, Brody stays by her side.
I won’t reveal anymore of the story line, but this is a must read story!!
A very good emotional read dealing with second chances, loss and a host of other items, all deftly handled by the author. A nice vacation from the current reality.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book grabbed me right at the beginning took me on an emotional journey that I didn’t want to end. It dug deep into my heart and soul and never let go.
The characters are wonderful, broken, and bruised by tragedy. Journey and Brody have a history together. Their relationship was cut short by tragedy. Years later, they come back together as friends. They are different people now. Journey has a world of heartbreak, pain, loss, and regret. Brody is a single dad with different priorities and his own mistakes but he is attracted to Journey and willing to take his chances. Will they be able to work their way through the pain of their pasts in order to find the love they could have together in the present? Will secrets destroy any chance at happiness?
This book has a great plot with a ton of feels. There is a good blend of angst, humor, witty banter, passion, and pain. The characters are wonderful, relatable, and lovable. I loved the banter between Brody and Journey. Brody was an amazing father, friend, and significant other. Journey was had her struggles but she was endearing and stronger than she believed that she was. I highly recommend reading this book.
****ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.****
After having read Bourbon Love Notes I had to pick this one up right away! I was so glad to be able to jump back into this series. I really enjoyed it!
Bourbon on the Rocks is a sequel to Bourbon Love Notes, which I reviewed a few months ago. It picks up the story part of the way through the previous story, but from the perspective of the hero and heroines’ brother and sister, respectively. It turns out that these characters also had some very brief history in their pasts, but a horrible accident derailed any relationship they might have had as well as the rest of the heroine (Journey’s) life since that time. It is apparent that there is more to the hero (Brody’s) story, but apparently we don’t get to learn about him until the Next book. When Brody and Journey meet again following the death of Journey’s father and the subsequent romance occurring between Brody’s brother and Journey’s sister, the chemistry they discovered as teens comes roaring back and Journey runs from it with all her might. Brody cannot fight the pull and wears her down gradually. He helps her to come to terms with guilt which was overshadowing her life as well as the negative coping mechanisms she used to deal with it. This was an emotional story dealing with a tragic backstory and a woman who was mired in guilt and grief. In Brody she finds someone she can trust with her true self which allows her to begin to accept that person as well. It was a hopeful story with a feel-good ending. It is well worth the read. It was a little strange to learn all of Journey’s challenges in life without really learning any of Brody’s, with the exception of some pretty superficial ones. This book hints at there being much more to Brody’s story to be learned, which I think will be revealed in the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.