Stay with me.Three simple words.One impossible request.I’ve loved Allie McCallister for as long as I can remember. Her happiness and well-being mean more to me than anything else, which is why when the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself, I had to take it. Three months was such a short amount of time to be apart to provide the financial stability we needed to start our lives. It wasn’t … financial stability we needed to start our lives.
It wasn’t supposed to catapult my band to stardom, and it sure as hell wasn’t supposed to set off the chain of events that pushed my relationship with Allie to the brink. Our hearts were shattered, our love tested, and when everything fell apart she begged me to leave.
Eight years ago, tragedy broke us. Now we’re back in the same little town where we once dreamed of building our future.
She’s a divorced, single mom.
I’m a damaged country music star.
There are a hundred reasons for us to stay apart.
But all it takes is one look, one touch, one kiss to know our story isn’t over. Now I have to convince her to let me stay.
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Stay with Me is a standalone second chance romance audio told in dual pov. I loved the narative and the going back to the past and back to the present in a way that wasn’t confusing and brought understanding to the present. The writing style is captivating. Character’s are compelling and resilient. Mason (Allie’s son stole the show). A bit of angst, heart-rending history, in the skys chemistry, and wit. A beautiful teary eyed love story that ends with a perfect epilogue.
Narators Kai Kennicott, Wen Ross duet narration was perfect. Their inflection fit the characters and narrative perfectly. Another flawless performance by these narrators that brought the characters and narrative to a realistic light.
Audiobook Obsession
Stay With Me is a beautiful second chance romance. There is minimal angst and even with that K.L. Grayson portrayed the pain, loss and love of Allie and Jackson beautifully.
4 Stars!
5 “All the Feels” Stars
KL Grayson has wrecked my heart with this first love/second chance romance. From the first page until the last, she had my heart in the palm of her hands. Jackson and Allie have one of those all consuming loves that we all feel as teenagers, but so few have last a lifetime.
Jackson is the kind of man I could fall in love with in real life. Strong, yet broken in some ways, I felt his pain down to my soul. And Allie…I identified with her so much. I have been the struggling single mother trying to keep my head above water. Stay With Me is such a heartwarmingly, funny, and romantic story. I could feel the love Jackson and Allie shared pouring off the pages. There were so many endearing moments throughout this entire story, and I adored Jackson’s interactions with Mason. PButter and Jam! (Read the story…you’ll get it). Easily one of my favorites so far this year. All the feels people. All. the. feels.
Angela – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
This story captured my heart! K.L. Grayson doesn’t disappoint with this unique and heartwarming story.
Grayson Calhoun is a devoted single father to three delightfully adorable kids. His focus on his children was admirable and had me swooning with his love for and care of them.
Nora Hayes, now 23, wants to break free of her child star persona. She feels she’s not able to really portray herself as a woman and break out of the role that she’s played since she was 10. She takes a break from touring and visits her brother where she meets Grayson, her brother’s best friend.
When Gray and Nora meet the draw between them is evident. These characters are amazing and so likable! The flow is so smooth and expertly delivered. K.L. Grayson weaves a resonant and alluring tale with a skilled cadence. I absolutely love this story and highly recommend!
When people say this book gives you all the feels, I am sometimes skeptical, but that is exactly what K.L. Grayson’s Wait for Me does. This engagingly rewarding story leaves you with a smile on your face and in your heart.
As a single parent, Grayson has his hands full with parenting and running his own business. The man does it all and is hot while doing it! I really fell in love with this character, his path had not been easy, but he did what he had to do to make his life work.
Nora, with all her fame, really wanted the simple life. Pushed by those around her, she got to the point where she just had to have a break and she took it. From the moment, Gray and Nora met, the chemistry was palpable.
As their story progress, we get to see sides of both Grayson and Nora that bring out the best of each of them. Working their way to an HEA, when the reality of life gets in the way to try and side track them, but love triumphs.
Ms. Grayson has given us a story that will be reread over and over because it will always make you smile. Well written with exceptional characters, this book will be high on my recommendation list.
Nora found fame early in life, becoming a teen sensation and being the idol that all little girls looked up too, which was all fine and well then… but she is not a young girl anymore. The squeaky clean imagine that her manager keeps hassling her about is no longer a concern for her, she has matured and she wants her clothing and songs to mirror that. But her manager has other ideas, ones that are currently driving her insane…
And if that is not enough to deal with she just learned that the man she has spent the last year dating hasn’t been dating just her… he has a side piece, one with a large chest, blonde hair, and is currently taking residence in his shower. After a little spat with her manger all she wanted to do was escape that disaster and fall into his arms, but it appears that someone else beat her to it. Which is more drama than Nora can handle in one day, so she packs a bag and decides to do something crazy and impulsive.
Which lands her on her brothers doorstep, with no plans on the immediate horizon. All she has to worry about is focusing on finding her happy again, and create beautiful music. But that is not all that she finds on her little rural getaway…
Wait For Me is about a young woman who is tired of living up to everyone else’s unrealistic expectations, she wants to take over the reigns, and start living her life on her own terms… not the ones dictated on a darn music contract. She wants to create music that appeals to an older audience, dress more suitable for her current age, and she wants to feel sexy and appealing. And her little getaway brings her that and many more unexpected surprises! Within the pages of this beautifully crafted story you will see a timid young woman grow into a confident one, and see her create her own version of happy. I loved this story, watching Nora take her life back was inspiring, and who she chose to do it with was pretty darn inspiring too. Nothing is sexier than a single dad dedicated to his children…and Grayson is that kind of man! If you like stories heavy on feels and toe curling romance then this one is perfect for you, it’ll tug on your heartstrings and have you swooning throughout!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
I would give this more if I could. You are sucked in from the beginning. I absolutely loved this book. This is a must read with all the feels. Allie and Jackson are childhood sweethearts. Sometimes life has other plans beyond your control. You will not want to put this book down. Laugh, get angry and cry with Allie and Jackson.
This book right here is one of the best books I’ve read this year. I absolutely loved this storyline and the characters seemed alive and real. This book is the bar to which I will be comparing other second chance romances to. When Allie and Jackson first come together, they’re very young, just on the cusp of adulthood. When absolute heartbreak comes to call, the two break up and go on with their own lives. Years later, Jackson moves back to their hometown and finds out that Allie is now a divorced single mom to a totally adorable, all knowing son named Mason.
This is the sweet romance you want to read, the love is pure, the feelings real, the storyline moving. It’s an emotional joyride of all that’s good with life. It’s the lemonade you make when life hands you lemons. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Grayson does next.
*I received an ARC of this story and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Loved this book. What a great story. I Could not put this book down. I loved the characters. I definitely recommend this as a must read.
I was surprised about the amount of tears in the book-not from the characters, but from me. I was constantly tearing up at sweet things, sad things, and scary things. I don’t do that, so I also was annoyed with myself about halfway through the story…lol…
I loved Allie. She was so mature and really good at communicating. She didn’t take any deflection or lies from the adult men in her life and she was always willing to do what’s best for her kid, which is so admirable. Jackson was a guy that knew what he wanted (finally) and is going after it.
This was my first KL Grayson book ever. And it will not be my last. I loved this book so much. I need time to wrap my thoughts into a nice package for this review. More to come…. But know that you need to add this to your TBR list and preorder it RIGHT NOW!!!
This book gave me all the #FeelGoods !!!
Alright, it’s been a week or so since I have read this book… I am still on love with this book today as I was when I wrote my initial thoughts. This might just be one of my favorite books of 2019!! And I don’t say that lightly.
Let me dive in…
Jackson & Allie completely stole my heart, broke it, and then put it back together again.
“We’re having a baby. You’re my family, Al, and I’ll never leave you.”
~ Stay with Me, K.L. Grayson
Jackson McCoy & Allie McCallister-Fowler have been childhood sweethearts (3rd grade). But once they find out that they are expecting a child, Jackson is given an opportunity for his high school band (Buffalo Road) to travel. He can’t turn it down. What turned into a 12 week gig turned into 8 years away. This decision changes their life forever!
Fast forward a few years… Jackson has been through a lot in life as well as Allie. Jackson comes back home and is wondering what he will do next in life. Wouldn’t you know it… he runs into Allie again. He is determined to make things work with her again. But is Allie ready to open her heart again?!?!
“His familiar blue eyes meet mine, knocking the breath right out of me.”
~ Stay with Me, K.I. Grayson
This book was brilliant! WARNING… You will need tissues!!
“I f*cked up the most important thing in my life, left everyone I love behind, became famous, lost that too — my choice, but still — and now I’m in my late twenties and moving home. I’m essentially right back in the spot I was before I left all those years ago, but with more cash in my savings than I’ll ever be able to spend, plus the knowledge that money doesn’t buy happiness, and it sure as hell can’t buy love. That was a hard lesson to learn, but vital to the man I’ve become.”
~ Stay with Me, K.I. Grayson
And I would not give this book the justice it deserves without mentioning how much I LOVED Mason!!! I love it when authors can write amazing dialog with kiddos and animals that steal your heart. K.L. Grayson was simply brilliant with Mason & Jackson!! Watching Jackson grow as a man before your eyes with Mason was priceless.
“She’s amazing. This woman who has owned me for years, even when we were thousands of miles apart. And now she’s mine again, and I know without a doubt that I’ll never let her go. How I survived the years without her — without this — I’ll never know.”
~ Stay with Me, K.I. Grayson
As I initially said after I first finished Stay with Me, this was my first K.I. Grayson book. It will not be my last!! I am hooked! I am looking forward to binge reading all of her work here in the near future. Hopefully this summer at the pool. And hopefully I am not crying like a baby with all of her books like I was with this one. I don’t think my heart could take it!! And I don’t think I could take everyone looking at me funny…. Okay, I don’t care about that so much. They are the ones missing out!
#JacksonAndAllie #BuffaloRoad #BearCreekBedAndBreakfast #MadisonDanielFowler #AllieBear #HotChocolateWithExtraMarshmallowsAndAScoopOfWhippedCream #IKnowEverythingAboutYou #AnnaDanielleMcCoy #GraveDigger #ShakeOnIt #NoTakeBacksAfterTheShake #ThePathwayAndTheField #Jam #PButter #PeanutButterAndJam #ChocolateChipCookieDoughIceCream #ATShirtQuilt #SMores #ItsABattleWound #JamDaddy
~ Review by Heidi Pharo
I really enjoyed this book! I love a good second chance read, and this one was perfect. Allie is a strong heroine that you can’t help but feel for. She’s been through hell, and still pushes through. Jackson is perfect for her. Jackson was beyond swoon. He’s sweet, sexy, and protective of those he loves. This story was well written, and had the perfect amount of drama added. I’m hoping we get a few other books with secondary characters that were in this one. A great read I would definitely recommend.
Second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and Stay With Me did not disappoint.
We meet Allie and Jackson as teenagers in the prologue. She’s accidentally pregnant, and he’s on the cusp of a major country music career when they are staring at a three-month separation. But things go downhill from there, and ultimately, Allie and Jackson split up. They cross paths again 8 years later, both older, more mature, and hardened by life. She’s been married and is divorced, the mother of an adorable 5 year old. He watched one of his best friends die, and went off the rails a bit himself, retreating from the music industry in an effort to heal. When fate hands them a second chance at their relationship, will Allie push Jackson away again, or this time say “Stay With Me”?
This story was full of heartbreak and pain, but also so full of hope and love. KL Grayson perfectly paints a picture of a couple broken but still desperately in love with one another. There is so much history to build upon with Jackson and Allie, and KLG uses that to her advantage. Especially where their daughter, Anna, is concerned.
Stay With Me is a brilliantly, beautifully written love story about lost love, second chances, healing and hope. I absolutely fell in love with Jackson and Allie, and I know you will too.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
I seriously LOVE a second chance romance & throw in one of them being a musician and I’m all over it!!!! I did hold off starting this book even though K.L is one of my go to authors but I’ve been in a bit of a book slump lately and I didn’t want this book to go to the side the way that many recently have. Thank goodness I held off and finally got my reading mojo back!
K.L wove such a wonderful tale of first love and second chances. I was so onboard with these characters and wanting them to find their way back to each other!! Definitely worth reading if one of your favorite tropes are second chance romances. Thank you K.L for continuing to write beautiful stories.
I have been waiting for Stay with Me to release for what seems like forever! It combines some of my favorite romance tropes, specifically single parents and musicians. KL Grayson did a phenomenal job of creating a group of characters that you can’t help but fall in love with!
Allie and Jackson were looking forward to spending their lives together, but tragedy had them separate. Eight years later, they find themselves living in the same town again. Allie is now a single mom, trying to make ends meet, while Jackson has had his own difficulty and the band that had brought him success is no more. These two can’t help but to come back together since they were meant to be.
I loved Allie and Jackson. And I loved Mason! He brought so much to the story and helped facilitate Allie’s and Jackson’s reunion. KL Grayson has writtten a wonderful story! I look forward to more!
Stay with me is a drop everything kinda read!
You, know the kind! The kins that is heartstoppingly perfect! Where you just want to fawn over the characters, and just fall head over heels for a slow-burning hit! YUP! That pretty much says it all!!!!! SWOON-WORTHY!
I knew going into this book it was going to be amazing because every single word that KL has written never disappoints.
Her character are real, in real situations, and easy to love.
I loved this second chance, small town romance that had the perfect ending.
Oh this book!!!
Stay with Me is a second chance romance book and I loved every minute of it. K.L writes a beautiful story of young love, the one you remember the most, the mistakes that were made and the decisions that where taken, the ones that shape your future.
This is Allie and Jackson’s love story. How after so many years they reconnect. their love is intact and their chemistry still strong. This story is gonna give you all the feels. The journey that this two characters go thru again to rekindle a love that never died is beautiful and the bonus of the story is Allies cute kid, he just makes everything more fun.
Great story, it will put a smile in your face and make you believe in second chances!
4.5 Stars read!
K.L. Grayson delivers an entertaining romance with lovable characters who have beautiful souls and amazing chemistry. I enjoyed every second spent with these two.
I absolutely loved Jackson. He is kind, mature, selfless and the way he cared for Allie was so sweet. The two of them had a picture perfect romance until they received some heartbreaking news. This traumatic event pulls them two of them apart and it’s not for his lack of trying. She pushes him away, believing that it’s for the best. She needs some time alone while he pursues his dream of becoming a country music star. He does find fame and fortune, but it comes at a high price. Feeling lost and broken, he decides to move back home.
Allie is newly divorced, raising her five year old son and running her family’s bed and breakfast. She discovers that Jackson is back in town after being gone eight long years. She does her best to avoid him, but it’s a small town. It doesn’t take long before their paths cross. They soon discover that there is no lost love between them. That their story isn’t over yet. But will they be able to work through the issues that ultimately tore them apart? And what happens when her ex-husband comes back to town to stir up trouble?
In all, Stay With Me is a beautifully written love story that is both gut-wrenching and heartwarming. What Jackson and Allie had was a once in a lifetime type of love. It was a powerful, moving and an absolutely epic romance. This one will definitely put your heart through the ringer. It’s a very emotional journey full of ups and downs, but completely worth the tears.
‘Stay With Me’ is a story about first love, heartbreak, and regrets. When Allie and Jackson find out they are to become teenage parents, they think their love is set, unaware of the dramatic shift it will cause in their relationship. Jackson wants to provide, When Allie doesn’t want him to leave her.
With the news of a job offer he can’t refuse, Jackson takes it upon himself to tour with his band, certain it will help fund their future, when Allie sees it as a betrayal.
The story follows the characters through the different paths they take, the hardships they face along the way, and the sparks of being reunited.
The story deals with the sensitive subject of loss and how grief can affect a family and someone’s life as they know it. This book does not shy away from other subjects such as divorce, addiction and alcoholism.
I love Jackson’s relationship with Mason and I couldn’t get enough of this love story. But will they get their happily ever after, when Allie’s jealous ex-husband shows up to stir the pot?
This is the first book I’ve read by K L Grayson, and I was given it in exchange for an honest review. It was captivating, compelling and at times I found myself completely and utterly emotionally invested in these characters. It is a book that brings to life real pain that people suffer in a very delicate and raw way.
I’d recommend this book to people who like very true to life romances, and people who want to try a new authors work. It was a heartfelt read and I loved the twists.