Greyson East left his mark on me.As the young girl who first fell for him, I didn’t know much about life. I did know about his smiles, though, and his laughs, and the strange way my stomach flipped when he was near.Life was perfect…until it wasn’t, and when we were forced to go our separate ways, I held on to our memories, let go of my first crush, and wished for the day I’d find him again.When … find him again.
When my wish came true, it was nothing like I imagined.
I couldn’t have known when I took the nanny position that it would be his children I looked after, that my new boss would be that boy I used to know, that boy who was now a man—a cold, lonely, detached man.
The smile and laugh I had loved so much were gone, now distant memories. Every part of him was covered in a fresh pain.
When he realized who I was, he made me promise to do my job and my job only.
He made me promise not to try to get to know him, not to recall the memories I’d treasured all this time.
But, sometimes, I saw the boy I’d once known in his stormy eyes. I saw the Greyson who smiled and laughed, who had stolen a young girl’s heart, and there was no doubt in my mind that this boy was worth fighting for.
I was given a second chance with the one who’d left his mark on me. All I hoped was that somehow I’d leave a mark on his soul, too.
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HE WAS HIM, I WAS ME, WE WERE US!
Eleanor & Grey was such an intense story which began with these two meeting the summer before high school while Eleanor was dealing with a devastating family crisis. They became unlikely friends as he was handsome and popular and she was quiet and bookish. However, he was her rock and salvation during the stormy times as her world was falling apart around her and their honesty and young love were refreshingly real.
But life pulled them separate ways and after 16 years Ellie stands before a very different and broken man. She couldn’t find the boy she knew in the depths of his cold, hollow eyes. As Part 2 of this story progresses I had to keep grabbing my tissues! I thought I cried in the first part! That was nothing compared to the 2nd part of this book. Karla and Lorelai, Grey’s two children, are beautiful and broken, also. Ellie is such a nurturer and wants to take care of them all. She feels she owes Grey for all he did for her back in high school. She realizes she is still in love with him.
Man, this book will break you, but in a good way. It will put the pieces back together but not after making you suffer first. That’s the sign of a good author. I loved all the characters in this book, the whole family, even Nicole, who when I first heard about her, was prepared to dislike for marrying Grey. This is just an awesome book you need to read if just to get your emotions riled up for a little while. You will never look at a firefly the same way again!
FIVE AMAZING STARS !
Oh my heart! This book!
“He was just him, I was me, and we were us.”
Eleanor Gable was something of a misfit at high school. She didn’t really care. She was content to be a book-devouring introvert, with her quirky sweaters, and her super loving parents. When her world starts to fall apart, Greyson East comes into her life and stays there to stop her from drowning in her sorrow. They were not just friends nor were they more. Until one day, they were nothing at all.
“I wanted him to give me his all, every piece of him. The good, the bad, and the broken.”
Fast forward sixteen years and Ellie and Grey are in each other’s orbit again. When Ellie comes back into his life, she no longer recognises the boy he once was. Instead is a broken man shut off from his family and his feelings.
“When you look at her, it’s as if the whole world lights up inside of you.”
This story was so heartrending! My heart has been rent! It was a beautiful, slow-burn story full of pain and moments of pure happiness. Both Ellie and Grey are intrinsically good people. The difference between them is that she remains almost indomitable through her sorrows but he wallows in his guilt and grief. Ellie is sweet, thoughtful, and loyal, and has such a capacity for unconditional love. She’s such a heroine in my eyes. Younger Grey was much the same as Ellie but by the time they meet again, he’s been through too much. However, I loved how Ellie worked her magic and brought love, light and laughter back to him and his family.
“You’ve been my true north since the day I met you.”
This was a compelling, heartfelt read, told with empathy and sensitivity, and some beautiful refrains throughout the novel. Magical words from a magical author!
This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased, honest opinion.
Eleanor & Grey is a Second Chance Romance that did not disappoint. This story made me believe in soul mates that much more than I already did. Stories like this one just seals the deal for me.
Eleanor Gable was the best character I’ve read in quite some time. She was this quirky, book lover who I instantly connected with. Ellie was an introvert who understood the hassles of socializing when all you want to do is curl up with your fictional friends. The book references got me right in the feels. Harry Potter fans out there will swoon over this one, I promise.
Greyson East was another off the charts character in this story. I swear this author did the unimaginable having two fantastic characters within one story. Usually there’s just one that you instantly click with but not this book! Greyson was just ideal book boyfriend material. I can’t tell you how much I swooned over this guy. It’s embarrassing actually lol!!
Ellie and Grey didn’t have the easiest of times throughout this story. They each were affected by loss and I loved how they always found each other when the other needed them the most. It was truly beautiful to read.
This story is told in two parts. We have the past with Ellie and Grey being teenagers and then we fast forward 15 years or so into the present time. I really don’t want to give away anything involving the story lines. I want you to go into this knowing it’s an amazing story and that’s all you need lol!!! You’ll laugh, cry, swoon, ugly cry, and everything in between. It’s a beautiful story and I hope you all love it as much as I did.
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~~4.5 AGONIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL STARS!~~
“He was him, I was me, and we were us. This was our story.”
I was PSYCHED to pop my Brittainy C. “Cherry” with ELEANOR & GREY because I have heard raves about this author’s uber angsty, achingly beautiful love stories. Well, the buzz was to be believed! Because OMFG this novel wrecked me in the BEST POSSIBLE WAY. My eyes are positively swollen with tears and I am still reeling from the FEELS. The HEARTBREAK. The HOPE. THE HEALING. THE PURE ETERNAL LOVE!
Gah. What. A. Book!
THE PREMISE:
Part one of this tender-hearted tale chronicles Eleanor Gable and Greyson East as teenagers in their Illinois hometown. Although they move in totally different social circles, Eleanor, a sweet, shy, adorably sassy bookworm who’s coping with her mother’s cancer diagnosis, unexpectedly befriends Grey when their paths cross during a high school party. Over time, a special bond is forged between the introverted town “weirdo” and the handsome, popular high school basketball player. Sadly, they gradually lose touch as life pulls them both in different directions. But Eleanor would be forever grateful to Grey for seeing her through her darkest hours….
Part two picks up 16 years later when fate brings these two estranged soulmates back together again. To say they are shocked to see one another when Eleanor applies for the nanny position in Grey’s household is an understatement. But even more disconcerting is that while Eleanor is still the sweet, giving, warm-hearted woman she’s always been, Greyson is barely recognizable… Now a grief-ravaged widow and father to two bereft young girls, he has fired six nannies in 10 months and needs a caretaker who can handle the intense rigors of the job. And that woman is Ellie. She would never forget the boy who would sit with her once every week when her mom was sick… The boy who would help her breathe. Now it’s HER turn to return the favor.
Despite his cold, detached, surly attitude, Eleanor FEELS Grey’s pain down to her morrow, and is determined to help him and his precious children heal. Her perseverance begins to pay off over time, and the boy who once laid claim to her hopelessly infatuated heart begins to slowly reemerge. But can Grey ever truly let go of the past to forge a second chance with his first love?
MUSINGS:
Holy moly, my heart’s filled to the brim after losing myself completely in ELEANOR & GREY! From start to finish, I was sucked into this gut-wrenching story about fate and destiny, grief and loss, and the healing power of a soul-deep love that stands the test of time!
Brittainy C. Cherry’s writing is flawless and highly addictive, and she has an extraordinary gift for evoking an abundance of intense, heart throbbing emotions in the reader. The author obviously poured all her blood, sweat and tears into this beautifully crafted story because it truly felt as if she showed us a glimpse into her own beautiful soil.
Sighhh…both these MCs OWNED me. Eleanor has suffered devastating tragedy in her own life, but nevertheless she’s like a burst of pure sunshine and I adored her SO MUCH. I mean how could I not? She is SO ENDEARING! Ellie radiates beauty and sweetness, and I love how patient and loving and kind she is, not to mention how she EMBRACES her weirdness. And OMG Grey! What a BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN SOUL! When tragedy strikes, he goes from being a happy and devoted family man to a cold and withdrawn workaholic who’s wallowing in grief, melancholy and debilitating guilt. His pain and sorrow are so PALPABLE it cuts deep.
And…SOB…then there are the girls, 5-year-old Lorelai and 14-year-old Karla.… These two young heartbreakers SLAYED me as well! Just like their daddy, losing their mother scarred them in unfathomable ways. Grey’s love for his daughters is so guttural it gave me goosebumps, but he is so despondent that he cannot be there for them when they need him the most. And that’s where Ellie aka Grey’s “wingwoman” comes in! While the West clan puts the new nanny through the ringer, I loved how she gently and oh so lovingly weaves herself into the fabric of all their lives and helps them heal.
The hard-hitting themes that the author explores throughout, pertaining to teenage bullying, living through crippling grief and loss, and mustering the strength to overcome tragedy and embrace a new tomorrow, are handled with sensitivity and unflinching realism throughout. I especially admire how Ms. Cherry doesn’t sugarcoat anything and pays such beautiful homage to the deep abiding love that was shared between Grey and his late wife—never once diminishing what they had to pave the way for his second shot with Eleanor.
Speaking of the central romance, the connection between the H&h is MAGICAL! I appreciate how the author really takes her time showing every beat of Ellie and Grey’s relationship, from when they meet and fall in love as teens to when they reconnect under very trying circumstances as adults. Due to their past history, these two high school chums know each other, inside and out, which makes the reader invest fully in this duo.
However, this is definitely a sloooooow burning romance—perhaps too much so at times if I am being honest. Because while I totally get that this book was intended to be much more than a conventional love story, I did feel that Grey’s overwhelming grief and the ensuing family strife with his kids did overshadow the romance in the present story. I was just expecting a more heightened focus on the rekindled feelings between Grey and Elli, but SWOOON, when these two forever friends finally surrender to the love that’s always resided in their hearts, it’s BEYOND BREATHTAKING!
BOTTOM LINE:
For anyone who has loved and lost, this book is FOR YOU! There are just so many remarkable layers to this incredibly cathartic story, and while I did indeed ugly cry buckets, there is also a plethora of joy and hope and sweet, sweet promise! And, ultimately, at its core, ELEANOR & GREY is all about CONNECTIONS, old and new, finding DAILY REASONS TO SMILE even when it feels near impossible, and the miraculous manner in which fractured hearts can become whole again.
Highly Recommend!
Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse at KFF
Eleanor Gable and Grey East’s story captivated me from word go and although I had no plans to review this tear-jerker of a read, it certainly merits a word. Cherry has delivered a story which is unputdownable, covers everything that I look for in what is my favourite genre, contemporary romance and focuses on how grief is overcome with utmost sensitivity. Being pushed for time meant I did all-nighter…no regret there except the result was a very damp pillow and very red eyes in the morning!
The author’s narrative and timeline flow smoothly; however, it saddened me to see how one of the protagonist’s life had developed in later years. The story starts out with teenage platonic love, a deep understanding, a friendship I thought would never end. Greyson gives Eleanor hope to carry on; she, in turn, discovers that he’s been suffering in silence and they’re simply there for each other.
‘If he was a book character, he’d be the hero.’
But life gets in the way and gradually these two youngsters lose contact. Even though there’s a huge time gap, I didn’t miss those lost years. Later, when the bomb dropped, here begins what felt like another heart-wrenching tale of woe. And I know tragedy is unmeasurable but I found the second part of the book even more distressing than the first.
“Fear’s okay, as long as you don’t let it drown you.”
Young Eleanor got me at the drop of a hat. Ooh, her reading material…her choice was perfect and took me back to many a night when I used to read those books to my son. And her love of dragonflies, her dress sense and more importantly, her attitude. She’s introverted but takes no nonsense from her peers. If she doesn’t like what’s going on around her, she buries her head in a book. She escapes. From a loving family, nothing could go wrong. Or could it?
‘It was sad that so many people went through life without knowing they were filled with magic.’
Grey. Ooh my goodness me. Did I shed a bunch of tears over him! Yeap, get ready for ugly cries ladies ‘cause you’d have to made of tough stuff not to. A lad who should have had everything to live for has his own issues to deal with. Then fast-forward and the Grey I’d grown to feel deeply for, who Eleanor knew, had changed. That loving boy’s gone; he’s aloof, stern and emotionally closed off towards his daughters when they need him more than ever. Except for work, he has a virtually non-existent homelife and his prickly demeanour frosts what should have been a loving and safe environment for his gals.
‘Grief shows its face and it unforgivingly drowns you, and for a while, you wonder if staying under the water would be better than ever breathing again.’
I have to add that this hurt me no end and it made me think that there wasn’t an end to Grey agonizing over what had happened. However, consequences play a huge part and just maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“Live in this moment, my dragonfly. Live fully in the moment.”
One cannot argue the importance of family and Cherry’s made every possible effort to drive this message home to her readers. She’s also gone above board in regards to healing, self-forgiveness, and acceptance. Grey’s girls, his mother-in-law and best friend, Landon…I adored them all. Eleanor’s cousin is a real case and a half and hoping to see more of her and Landon. Beautifully written, I highly recommend reading this book that’ll evoke all the feels you didn’t think you had in you. Bravo Cherry!
Eleanor and Grey was a slow burn romance that will give you all the feel from the very first chapter. Ive never been disappointed in a Brittainy C Cherry novel and this story was no exception. I absolutely loved it. This novel will break your heart in more ways than one. Its a story about grief and dealing with loss.
The story starts off as a YA novel and the sweet moments between Ellie and Grey will make you smile and swoon. You will love to these two characters so much. The story then jumps 15 years in the future and takes a very different turn with these now adult characters.
This novel was heartbreakingly beautiful and well written, with complex main characters and extended characters who provided well needed balance and support. You will love every moment of this second chance novel which will break your heart but was filled with hope and love and will give you the HEA ending you want. Eleanor and Grey was a phenomenal read and I would highly recommend it.
First 6 “I am still here”stars Of the year.
Nothing like spending your night crying and laughing from a fictional book. This book is a maelstrom of emotions. From gut-wrenching feelings to moments of joy. This book plain and simply was heartbreak juxtaposed with hope. In typical fashion, this author worked her magic and created a story that will remain etched into the template of who I am. I ugly cried. I had to take moments to remind myself to breathe. I felt like I was drowning.
Every character in this story was one of a kind. I should have known that before I went into the story because this author always pens such unique and lovable characters. Yet, after reading this book, I am not sure even The Elements series (which says something because that series is in my all-time favorites vault) could hold a candle to what this book meant to my heart.
This book healed me in ways that I didn’t know I was broken. I found a sense of peace in these characters and all that they had gone through. The stylistic choice and way that she phrased certain simples was out of this world. Even simple words of, “still here” had meaning that I never even understood until they were in the context of this book.
I can not say enough about this book other than this one hurts but sometimes pain isn’t a bad thing. Sometimes, it is the catalyst needed for transformation. I needed that gentle reminder. Especially of late and in particular today.
Well done Ms. Cherry you have written another beautiful master piece of finding a love that will save you. I just fell in love with both Ellie and Grey. What Grey did in order to get to know Ellie was just so sweet…totally swoon worthy.
These two first met when Grey and Ellie both needed a person to understand their pain, sadness, and how lonely one could truly feel even if they don’t look lonely on the outside.
Years later Ellie crashes back into Grey’s life when he needs her the most. I love Ellie’s strength. I love how she knew what Grey and his family needed. I loved her patience. I love how she did nothing but want to help Karla and Lorelai through such a traumatic time in their lives. I love how she wouldn’t give up on Grey.
This book had me all in my feelings. My heart literally broke at times but in the heart my heart felt full. This book is just beautiful. I’m so excited Landon and Shay will get their story.
**ARC REVIEW**
“He was him, I was me, and we were us.”
OMG!! Have you ever read one of Brittainy’s books before…? You mentally prepare yourself because she reaches so deeply into you. It’s incredible all the feelings you experience reading her beautiful books. Eleanor & Grey is breathtaking.
My only mini complaint… I needed an Epilogue .
Eleanor is this quirky, cute bookworm who likes to keep to herself and honestly enjoys the company of her mom and dad. The relationship is one every child dreams of having with their parents.
She finally decides to go to a HS Party with her cousin to only meet Greyson. Totally unexpected they chatted and found something strange between them. They honestly didn’t mind the chat.. Greyson being the handsome jock and Eleanor being the bookworm with braces…
They find themselves in a situation where they each save one another from drowning in sorrow and heartache from situations that are out of their control.
The book goes through their High School late years and breaks through to their adult years where they find each other again. Maybe fate or maybe just luck…
Greyson moved on with his life after losing touch with Eleanor, after a tragic and heartbreaking accident. He finds himself lost and out of touch with life and on the verge on losing his family.
Will Eleanor’s appearance bring Greyson back? Will they finally have their forever?
You will fall in love with Eleanor & Grey!
“That was the very minute I knew I loved him. When I was broken-hearted, it was four in the morning, and he still showed up for me.”
Eleanor is an invisible. And she loves that role. Fan of Harry Potter, of cardigans, silence and dragonflies, she prefers to spend time in her home than going to parties. We can say that she is not a popular girl, and she loves every minute of her anonymity. But by accompanying her cousin to a party, her invisibility will be put to the test. The fact is that Greyson, the popular kid and star of the school sees her. And he likes what he sees.
And so begins the story of Eleanor and Greyson. Spending more and more time together, these two young people develop a beautiful, strong and special friendship. Two people so different but who will find that they share a common pain and so they help one another. Eleanor needed Gray in her life. Just like he needed her.
As Eleanor’s family life suffers with unexpected news, we follow the pain of the character, the fear that surrounds them, as we see a little more of the “perfect” life of Greyson, who has nothing of perfect. And with the two so close, sharing secrets, fears and dreams, they end up falling in love. But sometimes, even love can not stop the actions of time. Fifteen years later, when they meet again, neither is who they used to be. And this is the sad reality.
Brittainy C. Cherry delivers a real, sensitive book, full of losses, beginnings and learnings. The young version of Greyson is extremely cute, capable of pulling out sighs. His adult version, despite understanding the context, made me angry at times.
Eleanor was a pleasantly surprised. With everything that has happened in her life, she has moved on in the best way she can, always remembering her mother’s teachings. Lorelai and her butterfly wings were such cuteness. Karla brought me sadness, pity, and a twinge of bitterness.
The focus of the narrative is love. All forms of love. From romantic love, to love between sisters, between grandparents, between parents, friends. And especially the love of a mother, this deep and unconditional love, that knows no time and space. All the characters in the book are facing some kind of loss, of pain, and we see how that affects them, how they are lost in need of help. Prepare the tissues, they will be necessary.
The journey will be filled with self-discovery, moments of regret, pain, scars, pain in the soul and even physical marks. But it will be worth it. Eleanor and Gray may have met while still young, but the mark they left will go through time. And it will prove necessary to bring some lost hearts back to life.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest Review *
It’s been a few days since I finished this book and I still don’t have the proper words to express how this book made me feel. It made me feel everything while reading it.
I know that many have viewed this book as a second-chance romance, but for me it was so much more than that. This book is a story about overcoming loss, finding yourself, learning to love and living again. It’s more women’s fiction than romance.
Eleanor and Grey meet when they are teenagers and they are definitely total opposites of one another. But like all things, opposites attract and these two being a friendship that eclipses into something beautiful and rare.
“He was him, I was me, and we were us. This was us. This was our story.”
This book can’t be stated any better than those words. And let me tell you, it’s a heart-breaking yet beautiful story. Their story is one littered with heartbreak, loss, pain, hope, love and friendship. It’s a story that will stay with you forever.
This may come as a shock, but this is my first Brittainy book. I have heard the many musings about how talented she is and I got a glimpse of that when I read the book of poems she co-wrote with Kandi (love that woman and her books too). So with having a slight idea of how she wrote, I took the leap and read this story. If this is how Brittainy writes all her stories, I am not sure my heart will ever be the same.
Anyway, I digress.
It has been a long time since characters have truly etched themselves into my soul. Ellie and Grey were mature beyond their ages. How they handle the huge hurdles thrown their way. I can’t tell you how many times I cried reading this book but I will say that I went through more than one box of tissues.
These two touched me deep with everything they endured. Eleanor and Grey are old souls (and I mean this in many ways) – the way they interact with one another in their teenage years and then later in life when their lives intercept again – their souls are one.
“Still here.”
If there is one book you read this year, let it be this one. It may only be April, but this book will definitely be in my top reads for 2019.
Amount of sex 2 / 5
How explicit are the sex scenes 2.5 / 5
Story 4.5 / 5
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Eleanor & Grey is an incredibly emotional standalone romance written by author Brittainy C. Cherry. Ms. Cherry always does a fabulous job of taking the reader on an emotional journey, and this story was very tough for me at times. The book’s description does not contain a warning label, but those that have dealt with illness and the loss of a parent should be cautious while reading.
This book is told in two different parts. The first is when Eleanor Gable and Greyson East are in their senior year in high school. Ellie is a timid bookworm and she only hangs out with her cousin Shay. Grey is an athlete and one of the popular kids at school. They become friends by chance, and he is there for Ellie during one of the most challenging parts of her life.
The second part of the book takes place roughly fifteen years later. Ellie is interviewing to be a nanny for a family with two young daughters who have recently lost their mother. She soon finds out that this is Grey’s family and he just lost his wife.
Eleanor & Grey is a beautiful and heartbreaking tale, and I believe I cried through at least half of the book! This is one story that will definitely be staying with me for a long time.
Voluntarily Reviewed an Advanced Copy
It’s hard to write a review and rate a book when there are mixed feelings about it. Eleanor & Grey was like watching a train wreck – you just couldn’t look away even though you knew it was going to be horrible. There were decent parts to the story and some that just came completely out of left park, some questions answered and some just left dangling. Honestly it’s hard trope to read for me because I really need to be convinced of that connection after having had lost a spouse that was loved completely. This story never reached that point for me.
Eleanor Gable could be perfect in some moments and a doormat in others.
Greyson East was swoon-worthy in some parts and too many mixed and waffling emotions in the next.
Their connection never quite won me over. And to say more could ruin it for others that might just love their story. This story had so much potential. It just fell flat for me.
My heart is so full from this story. I already know this is going to be one of my top reads of 2019! I fell in love with every single character Honestly there are no words to express how beautiful of a story Eleanor & Grey is, but everyone should read this story! It has something for everyone and touches tour soul in a way that other books do not!
“His soul was born to be loved by mine.”
I don’t even have the words to describe what I just read. This is my first book by this author. This phenomenal, soulful author that is always all the rage, every time she releases a book.
I’m in awe of what I just read. I honestly never knew writing, script or a story could make me feel this way. Make me feel so full.
As I said, I’m a new Brittainy fan, this was my first book by her but what I can say is that she writes with her heart and soul and it bleeds onto the pages. Her prose is poignant and oh so beautiful. She will touch your heart, change your soul and set your mind ablaze. She also has a fan for LIFE in me.
Eleanor and Grey is a second chance romance in the sense that Ellie and Grey lost contact after Ellie moved away and many years later, when they reconnect, Ellie is the same kind, sweetheart she’s always been but Greyson has changed. He’s harder and somewhat bitter. Which is, I suppose understandable after everything he’s been through.
But watching them fall into love with each all over again was beautiful. You’ll just feel so content. I never knew a book could hit me so deep in the feels but this one did.
I’d rate this book with a gazillion stars if I could and it probably still wouldn’t be enough. If you read no other book this month, read this one. You’ll love it so much, you’ll be at a loss for words, I promise you.
* Reviewed by Ali at Fallen For Books.
Brittainy C. Cherry seems to surprise me every time I pick up one of her stories…and I can’t even begin to tell you all the reasons why. Maybe it’s the beautifully sculptured poetic tone behind her words or the emotionally captivating storyline that grips my heart so tight that I feel as if I am completely breathless. Whatever the reasons may be just know that this story obliterated my heart and I am a still a lost cause days later.
Eleanor and Greyson’s story was raw with emotion and took readers on a journey full of love and heartache in this second chance romance. Their slow burning chemistry and the level of angst had me speechless and right on the edge of my seat with each new twist and turn. This story took my heart on a rollercoaster ride of emotion that plummeted to the ground unexpectedly. I had no clue what I was getting into when I began reading this story, but it engulfed me and left me a blubbering mess as my heartstrings were forcefully tugged on tight. Such an unbelievably incredible story and one of my favorites from this author!
Greyson East became my friend when I needed him the most. I was the “brace face” book nerd that only had her cousin for a friend. Greyson came up with something to do once a week to take my mind off everything. The gorgeous popular guy with the gray eyes first became my friend then became my first love then became a memory.
I haven’t seen Eleanor Gable in fifteen years, so I was surprised when she showed up for the job interview to be my kid’s nanny. I had a perfect life and now that was gone and all I had was work and a broken family. When I finally looked past my pain and saw Eleanor for who she was now I see that same awkward girl that stole my heart all those years ago. I’m now longer that boy she knew, and I have nothing of my heart left to give, but Eleanor keeps coming back no matter how hard my girls and I push her away.
Eleanor and Grey is a second chance romance that is heartbreaking, and you will need to have a box of tissues handy. Not only is it a second chance for a couple but a second chance for two people that are emotionally broken to find love again. This story was sad because it was so realistic, the tragedies that took place are things that happen in real life but so is the love and the healing. Eleanor and Grey by Brittainy C. Cherry is moving and soulful and will give you all the feels that you want. Eleanor and Grey is a great 5-star read that I highly recommend.
I received an ARC in return for an honest review. Boy did I almost miss out. I am not one who likes to read young adult stories. I don’t really like reading about teenagers so in the beginning I wasn’t really into this book. I almost gave in. I’m glad I didn’t. Eleanor and Grey were there for each other through the worst times in their lives. Even though it wasn’t on a romantic level at first, they connected in a way that turned into love. Watching both of them suffer was heartbreaking. This was true story of friends to lovers. Now I must get a story about Landon and Shay!!
I felt my heart crack more than once while reading Eleanor & Gray, an unbelievably beautiful and poignant Second Chance romance, and I still get a knot in my throat recalling the moving and emotional quotes I highlighted throughout the story. This is a story of healing, after a tragedy, and redemption. By the time I reached the end of it my heart ached, but out of happiness over the perfect ending. Some readers might hesitate before starting this amazing story, thinking they don’t like to read YA or Slow Burn or angst, that they don’t like any of these sub genres/tropes, but all I can say is give this story a chance, don’t be one of those readers. It will move your stone, cold heart, I promise you!
“He showed up during my darkest days, and brought me his light. He knew of my hurting, and he called my scars beautiful. He was my first love, but it wasn’t simply a romantic thing. He was just him, I was me, and we were us.”
Once upon a time Eleanor Grant and Greyson East were best friends and later evolved into first loves. The teens met while in high school, when Ellie needed emotional support to deal with her mother’s illness and Grey was there when she needed him most, a shoulder to lean and/or cry on. When Ellie moved from Illinois to Florida they tried to keep in touch, but life had other plans for them and they soon lost contact. But she never forgot her first love.
“She was she, I was me, and we were us. This was our story. This was our always and forever. And it was going to be beautiful.”
Fifteen years later, Eleanor moved back to Illinois after graduation and worked doing what she loved most, being a nanny, making an impression on her young children she cared for and loved. When she applies for a new position, taking care of two emotionally damaged young girls, Ellie’s shocked to learn they’re Grey’s daughters; they were left motherless after a horrible accident that scarred, both literally and figuratively, them. But she was more shocked by the change in the once happy and carefree young man she knew and loved so many years ago.
Greyson’s whole life changed in an instant, ten months ago. He doesn’t know how to be a parent to his daughters without his wife, Nicole; she was the team leader and knew how to guide them. Now he was withdrawn from everything that had once made him happy, including his daughters, he was just a sad and lonely shell of the man he used to be. He buried himself in the family business, just as his father had done when he’d been growing up, and Grey had sworn it was something he’d never do to his family. Just one more thing to feel guilty about.
“Think of it as more of a building that holds three individuals as opposed to being a home. That homey feeling left the day Nicole passed away.”
When Eleanor’s hired she’s told very clearly not to engage Grey, to do her job and take care of Lorelai, five, and Karla, fourteen. She’s the seventh nanny, six had been hired and fired before her, in less than ten months. Both girls have different ways of acting out, they feel the loss of their mother deeply but more so, they feel their father’s absence and love. Ellie’s tenacious, she’s bound and determined to find the young boy who she’s convinced had saved her life, he’d rescued her when she felt she was drowning. She had a debt to repay. But Grey insists on putting barriers between them, keeping things strictly professional. Almost as if he barely remembered the young Ellie.
“It has come to my attention that it is best you address me as Mr. East from here on out. I believe it will make things less personal. Since you are an employee, this is appropriate behavior. It is nothing personal, merely a business standard that is expected.”
Ellie makes headway with Lorelai and even begins to earn Karla’s respect, something Greyson takes notice of. And when she begins to see subtle changes in Grey, glimpses of the boy she once knew, Ellie knows she’s on the right path. Until they suddenly go off the rails and things take a wrong turn.
“If he were a book character, he’d be the hero.”
Believe it or not, but Eleonor& Grey was my first book by Brittainy C. Cherry. And I was warned…. By other readers about her other books, that the emotional tsunami is something you can’t be prepared for. And oh dear did me hit a wave of emotions, having had a hard time handling them. I guess I still can’t. … when a book is able to make me actually cry, it deserves all the stars possible. It’s simple as that for me.
”He was him, I was me , and we were us. This was our story.”
I think young Grey is now my favourite book boyfriend. Seriously, he was beyond perfect. And every young Eleonor in this world should have her very own Greyson. Young Grey was so adorable, cute and deep that I fell for him right along with Eleonor. Until the author decided to break my heart in thousand pieces.
”And then came you.”
The adult Eleonor is now for Grey, what his younger self was for Eleonor. The anchor to the real world, to friendship, love, family, emotions. I adore Eleonor and her shiny personality, she’s effortless beautiful inside out and so full of love for everyone who needs it.
”We were still broken, and cracked, and growing and learning. We were mistakes, and perfection, flowing streams and hurricanes.”
Eleonor and Greyson are soulmates. Bound by heaven and brought together on earth. To help each other when the most needed. To grow and become together a unit that can stand a chance to every obstacle thrown at them. I love love love the way they found together as kids and I’m amazed how they found together as adults again. Their story is so heartbreakingly beautiful, I highly recommend reading it and meet them for yourself.
”I need you to understand that if I kiss you, I won’t stop. Everything will shift, and nothing will be the same. If I kiss you, Ellie, we’re going to be something new.”
Furthermore, the author also outdid herself with the kids. Both are so real and awesomely well written. I really wish every Karla has a little sister like Lorelai. I adore Lorelai and my heart broke every time for Karla. They really show, that no love is like the love of a sister.
”His soul was born to be loved by mine.”
Eleonor & Grey is a package of emotions that will hit you with an unexpected force, willing you to feel it all: friendship, love, loss, grief, happiness – Definitely one of my favourite reads this year!