From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy standalone novel.
It seemed like a good idea at the time. Look up Landon Roderick, that boy from childhood whom I’d never been able to forget—even though he so easily forgot about me—and call him.
Then again, anything sounds like a good idea when you’ve had a little too much wine before bed, right? It was supposed to be … right? It was supposed to be just a quick, meaningless, prank call. Instead, I went off on him—unloading thirteen years of pent-up emotions.
I didn’t think he’d call me back.
I certainly could never have anticipated the weeks of sexually tense phone conversations that followed as I got to know the man he’d become.
Turned out, Landon had never really forgotten me, either. That special connection we had was still there. I opened up to him, but there were also things about me he didn’t know. And he had his own secrets.
Over the countless hours we talked on the phone, I wondered what would happen if we actually saw each other. One night, I did something impulsive again. Only this time, I went to the airport and booked a ticket to California. We were about to find out if one phone call could bring two lost souls together or if my drunk dial really was all just a big mistake.
A complete STANDALONE.
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I’ve read all of the books so far co-written by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. But I think this is the first book I’ve read my Ms. Ward herself. I have to say I really enjoyed it.
It was fairly comical when Rana calls Landon out of the blue when she was stinking drunk. But the renewing of an old friendship and the start of a new romance was fun to watch. My absolute favorite has to be the thought and planning Landon put into their first date. And as everyone’s secrets came out, it was interesting seeing how the other dealt with the reveal.
Definitely a page turner. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Of course, Penelope Ward does it again! she writes these characters with such unique story lines that just when I feel I know where the story is headed, I’m shocked at the complete turn in direction.
Landon and Rana first met when they were just kids. Rana’s parents rented a place to live from Landon’s parents. Although they were from different “worlds” Rana and Landon became friends until Rana and her family abruptly moved away without saying good-bye. Fast forward to many years later. Now adults, Rana was never able to let go of how things were left between her and Landon. They each had a different version of what transpired years ago. After Rana tracked down Landon’s number during a drunken night she calls and goes off on him. This incident then being the course of their story and friendship, as adults.
From the day they went their separate ways, Rana and Landon’s lives took a different course. Throughout the years the decisions they made, lies uncovered, and consequences shaped the course of their lives. They both had dark secrets, but dealt with their pasts differently. Landon was truly a great guy. He accepted the error of his ways. He accepted his mistakes was willing to talk about his past. Landon took responsibility and was willing to do whatever he had to to move forward in life. Landon was humble and wasn’t judgmental of others, especially knowing that he, himself, was not perfect.
Rana, on the other hand, I felt was a bit more judgmental at times. Once Landon confided in her some details about his past, she became judgmental as if she, herself, didn’t have secrets of her own. Landon was forgiving and willing to leave his own life behind to make thinks work with Rana.
This book had some very deep themes that included religious/cultural beliefs, pregnancy, and adoption. Those themes are what made this story different and unique. I enjoyed it.
Read: 2/12/18
Drunk Dial was a standalone by Penelope Ward. The cover was enough to give a five star rating, but thankfully the story lived up to it. Kudos to Ward.
Rana Saloomi and Landon Roderick were childhood friends that hadn’t seen each other since they were thirteen. Although now in their twenties, apparently Rana still has some issues with their departure and decided to contact him out of the blue on one drunken night. Thus the tale began….
It was told in a single POV Rana’s, but we were blessed with Landon’s POV for the epilogue. I loved everything about both characters. Rana was funny. Landon was sexy. Additionally, I loved the premise of the storyline and Ward backed it up with a creative plot following the virtual bonding. She also kept a mysterious vibe. We knew something was up with both Rana and Landon. They had secrets that they were still struggling with how to put it behind them and to move forward. Neither wanted to be forthcoming to the other until the time was right. Ward unveiled each secret – and there wasn’t just one each – progressively throughout the storyline. It was mysterious, intriguing and emotional.
Al in all, it was a journey of heartache, confusion, questionable choices, growing up, awareness, hope, acceptance, forgiveness, and love. Landon summed it up best when he said “It’s funny how the things that we once looked at as tragic are exactly what needed to happen, in retrospect.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Prepare to both laugh and cry, but in the end, it will be well worth every emotion.
“I wouldn’t change anything about the past anymore.”
After resisting the idea of listening to books and holding onto my traditional ideas of only reading…the very sight of words used to craft a story that moves the spirit, stimulates the intellect and charges the imagination…sacred to me, I gave in and for the first time, I listened to a book.
I will say it has its charms. I enjoy the fact I can do two things at once and, now, more than ever, I need this ability. However, it steals a little away from your imagination and that is how the character(s) sound(s)/emote(s) in your head. I also find that I remember specific passages more readily if I read a book as opposed to listening to it. Perhaps listening to books will help me in cultivating some new aural memory skills?
It’s more than obvious that the enjoyment of listening to a book depends a great deal on the suitability and talent of the narrator(s). I was neither awestruck nor annoyed by the narration of this book.
It’s natural to think that one could guess at the trope of this story by its title. After all, haven’t most of us succumbed to the impulse of dialing an ex in the middle of the night after imbibing a little too much in “the spirits”. The story does begin with a drink dial but Rana the heroine isn’t exactly calling a recent ex-boyfriend but a boy, who is now a man, from her past whom she could never forget. And yes, a spark ignites between Rana and Landon.
The story is narrated entirely from Rana’s first-person POV. There is instant chemistry between them, but both Rana and Landon reach toward each other and pull back more times than seems understandable…at first. It is an angsty, yet, well written love story. Slowly through the plot points the author reveals the very real and deeply emotional reasons for the push and pull dynamic in Rana and Landon’s relationship.
The more I think about the motivations behind a “middle-of-the-night drink dial” , the more I understand some of what the author has to say in this story about looking back at our past and the past of those we love…who we/they were at the time and the mistakes we/they may have made. Regret is a common human emotional experience.
There is some lovely, super sexy, tantalizing, erotic love scenes which add to the intensity of Rana and Landon’s love affair. There’s even a rather sassy humorous episode involving a novel wine-stopper. More than this are the insights gained as we observe both Rana and Landon deal with their personal regrets.
If you love romance, spiced up, intelligent and a touch over angsty…but explainable so…this is a surefire pick for you. A great book for your listening pleasure as well.
“Each tear that fell represented the regret pouring out of me, regret for not only my past mistakes but for what living in fear was causing me to miss out on right now in the present.”
This is my favorite book of Penelope Ward. I love the story of Landon and Rana. Best Friends when they were 13. Until Rana family moved away. And they never saw each other again. Until Rana drunk dialed Landon 13 yrs later. What happens next is friends reconnectioning over the phone and learning life is hard. But sometimes surprising. They laugh, love and work their way to a happy ending. Their lives are Parallel to each other, but don’t know it. Landon and Rana interactions are hilarious.
Penelope Ward has done it again, what an absolutely fantastic book I did not want to put it down and loved every second.
For me this was so much more than a love story, this was a book about forgiving, making mistakes, and coming to terms with who you are. This book had so much meaning and I took a lot away from this book.
Landon was such a special character he really was a fantastic guy, he made mistakes he learned from them and he changed his life. I loved how he saw Rana and how there connection was really something special.
Rana for me was a character I would look up to (even though she is younger than me) but I loved how her mistakes were what every female worries about and that’s how the world sees us and our beauty and it really is about loving who you are and nothing else matters.
There were a few twist and turns and for once I was got a big surprise that for some reason I did not see coming at all. If you love a fantastic written book with and awesome storyline of this all starting from a Drunk Dial then this is the book for you
5++++ stars
Awesome storyline
NO SPOILERS!
Books like Drunk Dial are precisely why Penelope Ward is one of my top favorite contemporary romance authors of all time. Her writing style and the unique and interesting storylines and characters she creates are beyond compare. I have loved every book that I’ve read from her and Drunk Dial has been my absolute favorite so far. The storyline and characters were more than I ever could have hoped for, and I was captivated from page one.
Landon and Rana were simply amazing and I instantly fell in love with them and their story. They were two of my very favorite characters that Ms. Ward has written so far, and I truly loved reading every single page of their story. It was so unique and entertaining, and I loved every minute of it. I loved Landon and Rana’s personalities. Landon was so sweet and compassionate, but also incredibly swoon-worthy and sexy. He had a few things in his past to overcome, but he was perfect and I loved what he said and did for Rana. He definitely took the top spot for favorite book boyfriend. Rana was very sweet and reserved, but self-conscious about her appearance and past. She had a lot to deal with and work through, both in the past and present. Despite some of their flaws, Rana and Landon were extremely likable and relatable characters, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with them on the spot. I loved their chemistry together and the close friendship/relationship they had with each other. I loved how everything progressed throughout, and I certainly enjoyed all of their banter and interactions with each other. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters, with the exception of one, and I loved the addition of Lilith. She was a piece of work, but thoroughly entertaining and she never failed to make me smile.
Drunk Dial was a truly phenomenal contemporary romance, and I honestly can’t express how much I dearly loved and adored Landon and Rana’s story. I loved everything from beginning to end, and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic with the conclusion. It might not have been completely perfect, but it was perfect for Landon and Rana, and I was very happy for them. Penelope Ward is an exceptionally talented author and I will never get tired of reading her amazing and addicting books. She created something very special and unforgettable in Drunk Dial, and I am very much looking forward to reading Landon and Rana’s story over and over again for a long time to come. Drunk Dial was one of the best romances that I’ve ever read, and it was definitely one of my absolute TOP FAVORITE reads of the year. If you haven’t read any of Ms. Ward’s books yet, I implore you to do so ASAP! You are truly missing out!
Absolutely love this story! Another must read by Penelope Ward!
I’m ugly crying right now while writing this review. Yes, I do sound crazy because of that, but hear me out. I can’t simply stop the tears from falling after reading and learning everything about Landon and Rana Banana’s pretty darn exotic and magnificent love story.
From drunk dialing to spewing a long time childhood secret; from belly dancing to food truck serving; from nightly phone calls to love notes, to interstate gift exchanges; from Michigan to California, from the food truck to the hometown garage, from the ocean music box to the wine stopper, from spy cameras to Rubik’s cube, from Shyla to Beverly, from Beth to Lilith, from Lana to God, everything everything everything was perfectly magnificent!
Honestly, I didn’t think I’d ever meet a man like Landon, he’s just too good to be true! Lucky Ranoona Banana Saloomi, she’s got him on her palm and never letting go. I think I need to learn belly dancing from her from now on!
Have I already mentioned that their erotic scenes were hot, sexy, smoldering and provocative and titillating that could put Anastasia Steele to shame? You better believe it!
This story is beautiful, from the moment Rana drunk dialed her crush, to reading his love notes, I was sold. Everything that followed after that made me smile, laugh, gag, roll my eyes, bite my lips, hold my breath and cry a thousand rivers. I didn’t realize Penelope Ward will have that effect on me. Great job, Sassypants!
I love everything Penelope Ward writes!
Another amazing book by Penelope Ward. Both Landon & Rana have had their share of traumatic pasts. Rana gets drunk one evening and calls Landon, a friend from her childhood. This call leads them down a path to each other! But not without lots of bumps in the road. Great story ! A must read. Awesome narration by Andi Arndt.
This was a very entertaining, steamy romance. I don’t know why I haven’t read this author before. Or rather, listen to this author. I liked the characters, I liked the plot, and the emotions were there between our main characters. Really enjoyable.
Another “knock it outta the park” story from this author. I love love love how these stories always seem to come around back to the beginning. That just leaves me feeling so so happy! I laughed, cried and am in awe of Landon. This is going on my favorites list.
There is quite a story between these two. While I like the female MC-Landon just blew me away. His story is something but its his attitude that I cant get enough of. That first date with her!!!!! Sooo creative!! His will and dedication to create the job he has just impressed me. I loved really just everything about him.
I loved these individual jobs that each of these characters have. Not high end but different and yet they get the character by. I want to give a mention to her father. His accent and his thoughts and words really make him a wonderful secondary character. Having him voiced by Andi Arndt just leveled him up. She did a wonderful job on each of these characters actually.
I Absolutely Loved this book.
Penelope Ward’s words always get me in the heart and Drunk Dial was no exception.
I felt so emotional while reading it,I suppose it was because I related to Rana in some ways,especially the way she saw herself and the self loathing until Landon came back into her life.
OMG I wish I had a Landon in my life,I adored him even with his past that was colourful to say the least I would have forgiven him of anything.
He was so sweet with Rana and patient and I swooned at some of the things he said to her.
This story is full of secrets and surprises and it filled my heart with so many feelings,Rana and Landon were childhood friends that reconnect and fall in love.
It is a perfect Romance and a beautiful story that I could not put down.
Unique and beguiling another 5 Star read from the incredible Penelope Ward.
A SWEET ESCAPE!!!
I loved how light and sweet this story was.
It captured my heart and made me smile so much.
Adored it!
Most of what I didn’t like about this book involves the content warning. I hate how Rana shamed Landon for his past. He wasn’t proud of it, but her saying it made her sick was too much.
TW/CW: Romani slur (g*psy, g*pped), sex work shaming, mention of pregnancy loss,
Re-united again *sigh. I love second chances, the reunion of two people who once lost each other coming back together and DRUNK DIAL hit all my happy spots.
I listened to the audio version of this book and loved every minute of it. The DRUNK DIAL title to me suggested something fun, flirty, not that I was looking for something fun and flirty, I would just about read anything from this author and I love her audiobooks, it just wasn’t what I expected.
Rana comes across as a loner, she’s insecure and still very much hung up on her childhood best friend Landon who never said goodbye when her parents left suddenly and he never turned up to see her go, she left heartbroken. Lana lived in an extension of Landon’s parents home, they worked for his family, Rana’s parents claimed they were being kicked out for not paying rent, later down the line Rana discovers that what she was told all those years ago was a lie, Rana went from a happy childhood with her mother and father, a best friend to then moving far away and just living with her father, Rana’s life wasn’t the same again.
One drunken night Rana finds Landon on her phone and in her drunken depressed stupor decides to let Landon know just what has been plaguing her mind all these years.
I loved how Rana and Landon come back together, I loved the development in the plot, what starts off as a drunken dial becomes a re-kindling of friendship over the phone and in time more. A friends to lovers story with plenty of twists and turns. If your looking for your next BBF read with a tattooed swoon-worthy hottie, then look no further.
Another brilliant read from Penelope Ward. I listened to this book as part of a Second chance box set along with Vi Keeland’s BEAUTIFUL MISTAKE and Corrine Micheal’s SAY I’M YOURS. I cannot recommend this box set enough, I loved each one of these books.
Nothing like Drunk Dialing your junior high crush/best friend as an adult one night when you are lonely and missing him more than you would like.
Rana is broke 26 year old belly-dancer in Michigan, who feels like she needs a life other than work. So one night after drinking she looks up Landon Roderick who now lives in California. Without thinking of what she would say calls him up. Landon owns a food truck on Venice Beach in California and has done well for himself. Landon answers and is in total shock to hear from his junior high best friend. One call turns into daily calls and chats back and forth, some pictures are excahnged. The connection they had seems to still be there, but this time it is stronger and starts to resemble love, but can you love someone around the country. They make each other smile, laugh and feel free like they were back in their childhood days.
An accident causes Rona to fly to California to see Landon and they spend a week getting to know each other. Landon let her in to his big secret. Rona returns home and misses him dearly. It was Landon who drops by for an unannounced visit and surprises Rona. Rona tells him her big secret. Once they are honest and open with each other, they can finally connect on a deeper level.
Who knew a drunk dialed call could change so many lives for the better?
* A review copy was provided by the author for the Blog Tour *
Penelope Ward still remains to be my all time favorite author. I will read anything she writes!! I know I will not be disappointed.
Drunk Dial is her latest standalone novel and I have to say I think it might just be my all time favorite of hers to date. There was something about this book that just sucked me in!!! I hate to say this, but I think Landon just took my top Penelope Hero spot (I’ll never forget about Jake though ;))
This book was a fun and unique story. It was a friends to lovers story that took a long distance romance to the extreme. I loved watching Rana and Landon’s story play out. What I think I loved the most about this book was that it wasn’t necessarily the same set up we’ve come to expect from a Penelope book. This book is one continuous story (not broken into parts) with bits of the past sprinkled in to fill in the holes of Rana and Landon’s past. This book also wasn’t filled with a lot of excess drama. There really aren’t any outside factors that play a part in this romance. I really loved that fact. Now that isn’t to say this wasn’t an emotionally draining story or that is was lacking for anything. It just means that we get to see another side to Penelope’s writing.
This book was a fast paced read, but nothing was rushed. I thought the way she wrote Landon and Rana’s journey was perfect. She also had me laughing quite a bit in this story. Mostly by what came out of Rana’s mouth. You’ll understand better once you read this book. I also liked that she kept the reader guessing as the story went along. She revealed many things I wasn’t expecting when it came to these characters. It just made me want to turn the pages faster to get all the answers!! I truly couldn’t put this book down once I started it. It was that GOOD!!!!
Drunk Dial is a standalone novel told solely from Rana’s POV. I didn’t mind the one POV with this book, because we knew how Landon was feeling with hearing it from him. This is a complete standalone novel and there is NO cliffhanger. You don’t have to read any other of Penelope’s books to thoroughly enjoy this one.
In this book we meet Rana and Landon. They knew each other growing up because Rana’s family used to live in Landon’s family garage apartment. Rana and Landon became great friends when they were younger, until one night Rana’s dad decides to up and move the family without even a goodbye. Years have passed, but Rana still has lingering animosity towards Landon. So she decides to confront him and call him in California one night when she is drunk. What happens after is filled with humor, romance, torment and even some heartache. But overall this story was filled with love. The bond Landon and Rana have was timeless and I loved watching their story unfold.
I don’t think I can truly do this book justice with my review. I would just say READ THIS BOOK!!! You won’t be sorry. If you love Penelope’s books like I do, you don’t want to miss her latest GEM!!!!