There are some paths in your life you’re never meant to take. Yet, by some twist of fate, you find yourself on the forbidden road all the same.Those are the words I stumble upon when I unearth a hidden journal that once belonged to my grandmother. A hidden journal that details a heartbreaking affair with her husband’s brother. It’s a family secret I’m unprepared to deal with, especially when my … unprepared to deal with, especially when my own life begins to parallel hers.
Sawyer Gallagher was never on my radar. The moment I met his younger brother, I was taken. Done for. Love-drunk.
But, some things aren’t meant to last and at the age of thirty-three, I find myself divorced, penniless and living with my parents. When Sawyer stops by our family’s antique store, asking for a job, I figure: Why the heck not? Life can’t get much worse.
It doesn’t take long to realize just how different the Gallagher brothers are. Sawyer is kind, supportive, and, oh, did I mention sexy as hell?
In a small town like ours, I can’t help but ask myself…
Can I fall for my former brother-in-law?
Or is this just history repeating itself?
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Judging by the blurb I had an idea of how this book was gonna go and I was so completely wrong.. This book is about heartbreak and moving on from past. This book will pull at your heartstrings and make some tears run down your face. You have a family who had their world rocked. Elle is hurt from past mistakes and needs to move on but she hasn’t yet. She is heartbroken and trying to make sense of her life right now. She was busy taking care of everyone but herself. When she is thrown into her parents business, she doesn’t know how to certain things. It takes a certain man to make her see that this her time to shine. Enter Sawyer.. the misunderstood child and the one who hid in the shadows. He’s also the ex brother in law. He makes his an appearance and never lets go. He always thing for Elle and took the back seat until now. This is his chance to show her how she means to him. These two are super sweet together and I fell hard for them. There’s a lot of secrets being told and there’s healing that happens within the family. It’s a beautifully written book with characters you love and hate but will feel their pain at the same time. I devoured this book and stayed up way later then I should have to finish it. It was a great heartfelt book!
The Affair by J.L. Berg is a emotionally charged and evocative written story that deals with heartbreak, 2nd chances, forbidden love, passion, forgiveness, healing , finding one’s own self worth and true love. The title is not necessarily true but really false. There is a story within a story that is centered around the heroine’s grandmother. I enjoyed reading the letters that tell the story. I really liked the main characters Elle and Sawyer. Their love story was beautiful and poignant. The ending had me grabbing tissues. The Affair is just another sensational read that gives you two stories for the price of 1. Truly amazing!!
My Rating: 4.5 stars ********
As soon as I read the blurb for The Affair by J.L. Berg I knew I wanted to read it and I was not disappointed. A story about second chances, loss, grief and fresh starts. Elle is starting over after a difficult divorce, the loss of a parent and taking over the family business. She seemed to be a bit lost and struggling. Sawyer just stole my heart. He was caring and sweet and just what she needed. But will their history always be between them? The Affair by J.L. Berg was emotional, slow burning and touching story.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
This book was superbly written! It was not what I expected, yet so much more. I loved how Ella was there for her family, their business and how she grew through the story. Reading her grandmother’s journals felt right and needed. I loved Sawyer and Candace and how they helped Ella to embrace change. The slow burn was just what this story needed…..
P.S. This cover is BEAUTIFUL!
The Affair by J. L. Berg is a standalone contemporary romance all about second chances with new loves and rebuilding your life after great loss. Told from Elle’s POV, we join her in the middle of her story. With the loss of her father, her divorce, and the changes in her mother, her life has been turned on it’s head over the past year. The antique store her family owns is the one constant, but when her ex brother-in-law shows up looking for work, determined to be involved in the store, she ends up going against the safe choice and saying yes. Sawyer is confident without being pushy, his personality soothes the rough and sharp edges Elle has had since her father’s death and her divorce, and despite trying not to, she really likes him. When her life starts to resemble the secret life she finds secreted away in her grandmother’s journals she starts to question everything.
This story was emotional, a little sad, a whole load of angsty, but so sweet and uplifting in the end. The healing that takes place between Elle and the various characters is a powerful journey that I was glad to be a part of. Enjoy!
When I read the blurb for this book it sounded like my kind of book and the cover is adorable. I was expecting it to have a steamy forbidden feel to it but for me that wasn’t the case. The pace of the story felt quite slow and disjointed at times with some characters difficult to know. The book delves into the past when an affair is unexpectedly revealed and the obvious parallels to the present. I would have liked if the relationship between Elle and Sawyer had been explored more. There wasn’t enough passion between them showing the forbidden element of their romance and the connection felt stilted at times.
I received a complimentary ARC – early release copy of this book in Kindle format from the author for review purposes.
This story has a romance in it, actually two but its really more chick Lit than romance in my opinion.
The star of this story is Elle and lets say she is having a VERY bad year, VERY. She was married to her childhood sweetheart and on the night she found out her father was dying from Cancer he had sex with this young girl in a bathroom of a bar. Since that happened she has been divorced and watched her father die and now her mother is giving her the family business and moving away to live near her brother.
She has a house, and a business to take care off but no family or friends or even husband anymore. So when she finds some journals from her grandmother who was also going through a rough time when her grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimers, she feels less lonely when she reads them.
The journals detail an affair her grandmother had during that rough time and as she starts to get to know her exes older brother she wonders what she missed all those years before when she overlooked him for his brother.
This story is all one sided, we never hear from Sawyer and to me that was a huge point that I really missed in this story. This is Elle’s story on how she manages to let go of the bad and move on to the good in her life. She discovers that she has friends and people who care about her, she just was too blind before to notice.
The romance in this story was a small part of this story. Its more about moving forward even after some really huge losses and finding the life you are meant to have. It is told wonderfully and the author is a wonderful storyteller. But be forewarned that it is an ex dating her exes brother which is not a trope I like in romances. However because Sawyer and his brother are so distant from each other, it worked in this story.
I have read thousands of books, seen thousands of characters then I’ll move on to the next story. The Affair is one of those that left me with a permanent mark on my heart, mind and soul. When I imagine the story in my mind, it’s like a movie. This is one I would love to see as a movie.
I will not say too much on what the story was about because trust me on this, the readers need to get this book.
What make a story amazing and memorable are the characters. These ones were created with perfection and made me feel so much. The storyline was unique and beautifully executed. Bottomline this is a must read.
Standalone told in the female POV with an amazing HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
This was an emotional story of a divorced woman who has spent the last year of her life taking care of her dying father and helping her mother. She had not really taken the time to heal and move on from her cheating ex. After her father’s death she finds herself slightly a drift, struggling to figure out what she wants and who she is. Until her ex brother in law enters he store and turns her world upside down. Trust is hard to earn when you have been burned before. Will she let him? Can change be a good thing? A lovely story that was easy to read and throughly enjoyable.
This book was incredible, I was blown away by the story and its characters, I read it in one sitting because of the intriguing plot!
Not as scandalous as you would think.
“Believing in love doesn’t make it real.” Her nana’s words ring true which is sad and also a theme over much of this story. Going into this – I expected a little more scandal, but instead I got a heartwarming second chance romance with more heart than I expected.
Eloise or “Elle” has been through the ringer with a cheating husband, the loss of a parent, and the unknown of trying to find yourself when your world is turned upside down. Sawyer isn’t anything like his brother, thank goodness, and really nothing like his entire family – again a good trait. He stumbles into Elle’s life and breathes life into it. Even if she is kicking and screaming the whole way.
The reading of her nana’s journals is an interesting look into the past and she learns things about sacrifice and love. While her relationship with Sawyer shows her the possibility of a future and true love.
This book is worth the journey even if parts of it will hurt your heart.
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
beautiful story of finding true love out of heartbreak…..
This is my first read by this author and it will definitely not be my last J.L. Berg is such a beautiful story teller you cant help but be drawn into the lives of the characters, a truly heart felt story that will pull on your heartstrings but also leave you thoroughly fulfilled
This is not just a love story of the present but a story which transcends time and generations, how much do you really know your family?
I absolutely loved elle and swayers story the chemistry between them is undeniable, the book flows perfectly and I adore all the characters, a perfect read….
What a lovely story. This is the first book that I have read by this author and it did not disappoint. The Affair is touching, emotional, and a slow burn story.
Going into this I thought the whole entire focus would be centred around an affair, but it was so much more than that. This was a story of loss, love, romance, family dynamics and new beginnings.
Overall, I enjoyed this book even though it wasn’t what I expected. I love a story that surprises me and this one was certainly full of them. This was a very emotional read and definitely had all the feels.
The Affair by J.L. Berg tells the story of Elle and Sawyer. Ellen is a thirty-three-year-old divorcee who is struggling after her father passes away and her mother decides to live with her brother, who is hours away. Sawyer, her ex-brother in-law shows up and proposes a business deal. After she agrees they begin spending quite a bit of time together and falling for each other. This raises insecurities in Elle, as her husband cheated on her.
While beginning to clean out her mother’s home she discovers journals that her grandmother wrote, which in many ways mimics her relationship with Sawyer, as her grandmother had an affair with her brother-in-law while her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Elle goes back and forth with whether to be in a relationship with Sawyer, as she continues to delve deeper into the journals. “Reading this new journal had become therapeutic. Her writing spoke to my soul like an old friend, and I couldn’t help but compare my life to hers. She had fallen for a man she shouldn’t have. Was I doing the same?”
I enjoyed this book and especially fell for Sawyer who wouldn’t give up, no matter what. He was struggling with his own issues and having a difficult time opening up to Elle. The end did feel a little rushed, but I did enjoy the story and at times it was very emotional. This was a 4 star read for me! I look forward to Ms. Berg’s next release.
* A review copy was provided by the author *
I am having trouble writing this review because my feelings are all jumbled up. On one hand I really enjoyed this story and the characters, but on the other hand it didn’t WOW me like I was hoping it would after reading the blurb.
This is a book I would definitely recommend to all romance readers. No don’t panic….there is NO cheating in this book. This is an emotional slow burn love story. But it is also a story of forgiveness and moving on.
As I said I loved the storyline and the characters. I was instantly intrigued with this book from the first page. I think why I am having such trouble expressing my feelings is because I felt something was missing. I just don’t know what. I think I was expecting more out of the hidden journals.
This is a standalone novel told solely from Elle’s POV. I thought the flow and pace of the story worked well for this storyline. I loved that Elle and Sawyer stuck up a friendship before expressing any feelings for each other. With their backstory, a friendship first was really the only way their story worked out. I loved the amount of emotion that was built into this story. My heart broke for Elle many times and the struggles she went through. I absolutely LOVED the epilogue of this book!!!!
In this book we follow Elle and Sawyer. Elle has just had her world turned upside down, first by her divorce from her husband and then the passing of her father. Elle has some serious trust issues in this book and it is with good reason. Sawyer is the older brother to Elle’s ex-husband. He also has some trouble trusting. But I loved how he was willing to wait for Elle to make up her mind. I also loved how I thought one thing of their backstory to find out it was more complicated than I thought. I didn’t see that twist coming!!
I liked the secondary characters of the story, with the exception of Reed (the ex) Candace was my favorite. She had such a spirit and I loved the support she added to Elle throughout the story.
Again, I would recommend this story to all romance readers. This was a unique and original story that I was captivated by. If you are a fan of J.L. Berg’s books, then you will want to add this to your TBR list. Don’t miss this story!!!
I really enjoyed this story. The characters are complex. The story is fascinating watching it unfold. As Ell tries to pick up the pieces of her life she comes across her grandmother’s journal which makes her question if an affair can be justified?
Sawyer and Reed, brothers with a tenuous relationship that is even more strained because of Elle. Reed is her ex and Sawyer wants to be her future. This is a story of a woman finding her place and opening her heart to love again. Is the risk worth it? Sawyer is a swoony leading man.
“You and I are like puzzle pieces, Elle; two halves of a whole, just waiting to be reconnected. When we come together, it will be perfect.”~ Sawyer
This is The Affair I will forever remember. My heart is full. My emotions have been challenged and I loved every minute of it. I have found true bliss after a journey through tragedy, lies, secrets and a true love.
The Affair took me on a journey of a lifetime. An affair and her father’s death crushed Elle. Her mom leaving and moving in with her brother took her purpose. She was alone in a small town where everyone knows your business. She was missing her other half, the puzzle piece the would make her whole.
Sawyer knew Elle needed help running the shop. Sawyer knew it was time to find his real family. He needed to reach out and grab the life he wanted. It wouldn’t be easy. It wouldn’t be fast. Truths will be exposed changing everything.
Sawyer and Elle are two pieces of a puzzle, two halves of a whole. Together they are perfect. Together they make the most fantastic love story, The Affair.
Forbidden Romance | Complete Standalone
I have to admit, when I first started reading this, I thought it would specifically revolve around an affair. Cheating and love triangles danced in my head and I was excited for all the angst and drama. However, that is NOT this book. This is a story about a woman’s journey who is dealing with the loss of her marriage and father. This is a story about a woman finding herself and reconnecting with a childhood friend who also happens to be her ex-husbands’ brother. This is also a story about finding love in forbidden places and learning that it’s okay to want and need someone who doesn’t appear to be right for you.
J.L. Berg did a wonderful job at weaving this story. While it didn’t revolve AROUND an affair between the two main characters there was a story within the story about the heroine’s grandmother who DID find love with someone she shouldn’t have been with. Told through letters readers will be able to experience the emotions of her grandmother’s past and see how it affected the future of the present ones.
Overall, I thought this was a good book even though it wasn’t what I expected. I do love a story that surprises me and this one was certainly full of them (even a few small twists).
If you enjoy contemporary romances, I recommend this one.
I loved this book hard! There is no cheating between the heroine and hero. I went in blind trusting the author. Loved Elle and Sawyer! This book will have you rooting for Elle to make her choices and Sawyer will just steal your heart! 5 star read
Favorite quote: “All you can do is choose him. Choose him every day. Work for it. Fight for your love.”
This is one of the most beautiful, emotional books I’ve read in a long while. The Affair captivated me from the first page and kept me enthralled until the very end.
’But life changes. Priorities change. People change.’
Elle’s life has had a lot of changes in it lately. Changes she’s not in control of. And Elle doesn’t do change well. At all. But when her ex’s brother shows up with a proposition, she starts down a path she never expected to take.
’And I dreamed of love – the messy kind that sent you down long, forbidden pathways.’
Oh man, my heart hurt so much for Elle. She’s been put through the wringer in so many ways and is struggling in every aspect of her life. Written, entirely in her point of view, I was totally submerged in her emotional chaos. And when she found happiness, I was rejoicing right along with her.
Usually, having just the heroine’s point of view can make it difficult to connect with the hero, but not so with Sawyer. Ms. Berg has written this in such a way that I could sense what was going on with him. He has a few secrets, but I never felt the loss of his “voice”. I loved how sweet and cute he was. His humor helped to bring Elle out of some the darkness she had been living in and I loved he did that so effortlessly.
’”What are we doing here, Sawyer?” I breathed out, hoping he’d understand my meaning.
“Dancing around something we’re both too afraid to act on,” he spoke low, and his voice was filled with an intesity that sent sparks up my spine.
“I’m not a very good dancer,” I finally said, meeting his gaze.
I felt his hand tighten around my waist, and his head bent dangerously close to my own.
“Me either, but I’m willing to take a chance on the right partner.”’
While this is definitely romance at it’s finest, it’s so much more. This is the story of a woman who is lost and floundering, questioning her past, her actions in the here and now, and afraid to really face the future. The answers for her do not arrive in a well placed word spoken from a friend, but from various avenues which added to the believability of her struggles.
I found even the title of this book to be amazing as layer upon layer is peeled back. The writing is so fresh and original, the plot so beautifully interwoven with the past through the present, that I hated to see it end. And just an FYI for anyone who is concerned about cheating, while there is cheating – it was all done in the past and none of it by the hero or heroine.
If you’re looking for an emotion laden read that brims with the sweetest, as well as sexy, of romances, I can’t recommend this book enough.
’And it all started with a leather journal.’