After making a bad decision when she was very young, Kia Clementine finds herself in hell. Then, suddenly, within the time it takes for a shotgun to blast, her hell changes. Completely. Then out-of-the-blue she sees Sampson Cooper, her celebrity crush. A man the whole world knows is decent. A man the world knows is loyal. A man the world knows is good. All of these very unlike her now dead … husband.He’s sitting at a table right next to hers. And she catches his eye.Terrified of the interest Sam shows in her, Kia finds the courage to go out with him. Not long after, she shares her dark secrets and Sam shares that he’ll stop at nothing to gain her trust. As Sam leads Kia to heaven, Kia realizes that Sam is living his own hell. But although he gives her beauty and she gives him everything, he withholds his trust.Even with all the beauty Sam shows her, Kia wants it all. But Sam forces Kia to make a heartbreaking decision and only she can decide. It’s all or nothing.
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I have no idea how I didn’t know about this book, or why I left it on my TBR for so long, but I need to make sure no one else makes the same mistake! This book had me in tears through most of it, the story heart wrenching and deep with pain. And not just one thing that was painful, but many different types over a few different people and for different reasons. While loss was a huge part of this book, and allowed the characters to connect, hope was an even bigger part, and starting anew. Nobody let go of the past, it was part of them, it made them who they were, and gave them the good and the bad, but they became new people in the present. It had light moments, it had happy moments, it had sexy moments, and it had healing moments. It was beautifully narrated, and this was one of those books where the narrator portrayed the characters better than my imagination even could. I’ve immediately gone to Loose Ends to get the story that was, well, at a loose end, but also so I could live in this world, with these characters, just a little bit longer <3
So very Kristen Ashley.
Shoes
Big hair
Big eyes
Chin lifting
Fashion porn
All the feels
The bomb
Monosyllabic one word sentences
This started out very promising where the heroine’s husband and his skanky mistress want her dead and it went downhill from there into romance between a woman in need of therapy and a bossy hunk. How and why, if she’s SO gorgeous and sweet and winsome did her husband want her dead? And why did she stay with his abusive rear end for seven years?
Maybe I’m having Valentine’s burnout or something, but not a good sign when you want more evil OW action.
Why did I wait to read this book?!? Why did I think I wouldn’t like it because it was a stand-alone and not part of a series? I’m crazy. That has to be the reason because this story was romantic and sweet with just enough angst (sometimes, for me, a lot of angst is too much – I’m a big cry baby). As I wipe my tears and berate myself for not reading this book a long time ago (I bought it in 2016!!), I am basking in the glory of the hard fought and hard won HEA for Kia and Sam.
PS Lady Luck has always been my favorite KA book but, after reading this book, I think I now have a tie for favorite KA book.
PSS I think I need an autographed copy of this book for my favorites shelf.
PSSS I highly recommend the audiobook. That’s how I started but at about 75%, I switched over to read on my Kindle. I don’t know why I’m adding this to my review…
Go forth and buy this book if you haven’t already. It’s worth it. I think this might be a good gateway book for someone who hasn’t read KA before. It took me a few books before I adjusted to her writing style and just enjoyed the story. This one is KA lite.
Sigh…..now what do I do with my life??
How do you go wrong with a character like Kia Clementine? I’ve read this book so many times that I can almost repeat it out loud.
I haven’t read many of her books. I read those mostly not in the series, which this one I believe is. I saw this book several times and honestly just skipped over it. Then for some reason, I purchased it, and I’m so glad I did. It was a beautiful book. I loved Sam and Kia as a couple and enjoyed watching their relationship grow. I laughed, and I cried. I highly recommend this book!
Audiobook update: So, with Loose Ends coming out, I purchased Heaven and Hell in audiobook format. I’ve read this book like 5 times but this is my first time listening to it.
Admittedly, the accent threw me at first because I’ve got no clue what an Indiana accent sounds like so wasn’t sure if I liked the slight country twang as I never imagined Kia with an accent.
However, this one ranks right up there with Knight’s audiobook as being the best one EVER! I cried! It is SUPER hard for books or movies to do this as I am not a crier. I never cry.
But my favorite KA alpha line is in this book. And the emotion that the narrator puts into that scene had me in tears.
“You cannot leave me. You can’t. I can’t live without you.”
Honestly, and bluntly here, the reason I love KA alphas is because they ARE alphas. Unapologetically, infuriatingly alpha. They never change their personalities once they fall in love like so many alphas in books do (This is a huge pet peeve of mine). They don’t suck up by turning into a lovesick fool. They are SUPER masculine and honestly, masculinity is hot. And yet KA men can love so freaking much. They love, and grow, but DON’T change personalities. They’ll apologize, occasionally, but never grovel. Instead they explain and correct their behavior, if needed. I’d rather have a man show his love than TELL me and not show it. Because people are liars and suck. That said I would totally lose my mind if I had a KA like alpha, because not letting a woman talk in an argument… no.
That said, that line could be in most every KA book, but isn’t. It’s implied and shown, or told in a lot of ways. But that line right there is an alpha man groveling and saying exactly how much he loves her. Without turning into a wimp. A plea phrased as an order. Loved it!
Just wow! I forgot how amazing this one is. Sam was freaking awesome. The subject was serious, but I adored how this author handled everything. Plus it’s everything you love about Kristen Ashley in a book.
I love Kristen Ashley! If you haven’t read this author, then you definitely need to give her a try! She is original, engaging and will keep you coming back time after time. This book is one of her best!
I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t read a single Kristen Ashley book in all of 2017. Awful, right? I had the pleasure of sitting at her table for the Q&A Brunch at ApollyCon and I decided then and there I needed to read one of her books. I just wasn’t sure which one. Until she answered a question about Heaven and Hell and got all emotional. I decided that was my pick and my god, it did all kinds of things to my heart. It also left me with a damn near debilitating book hangover.
Heaven and Hell was a gorgeous book. It’s a long book, as is to be expected with a KA book, but it sure didn’t seem that long as I was breezing right through it. I don’t know if I’ve ever read one of her books in a day and a half, but that’s all the longer it took me to read this one. My heart and my feels were all over the place. Few things make me happier as a reader than seeing a character with a hard past, one who’d dealt with things no one should have to, get a second chance at love. When it’s with a man or woman who treat them the way they deserve to have been treated all along, it’s even better.
Sam and Kia’s story made my heart happy. He basically worshipped her and was all in for her. (Ok, with the exception of a couple parts where I wanted to scream at him for being an utter ass.) After all she’d been through with her ex husband, god knows she deserved it. As much as I loved the romance, it was also quite special to watch Kia get her groove back, so to speak. She’d lost so much of herself to her ex, having been literally beaten down by him. She was worthy of so much more and it made me happy to see her get it.
Heaven and Hell was sexy, sweet and full of feels — all things I expect from a Kristen Ashley book. It’s been nearly a month since I finished and I still get a big stupid grin on my face when I think about it. One of my favorites of hers to date. I can’t wait for the next book, Sam and Kia’s friend Luci’s book. If Luci’s scenes during this book are any indication, I’m pretty sure it’ll absolutely destroy me as Luci tries to find her own happy ending after the death of her husband. But, regardless, I’m here for it. I fell a little bit in love with Luci, too, and I need her to be happy.
FAVORITE QUOTES
“Make him work to unlock your secrets, my Kia. Do not accept another man in your life who does not rise to that challenge and do it gallantly.”
“Wherever you are, however you got there, if it’s good, you’re meant to be there either because you earned it or life led you there and you were smart enough to hold on.”
Sometimes home wasn’t where you grew up. Home was where you were meant to be.