A new, sexy standalone from top 100 Amazon Bestseller, R.C. Stephens.She was my best friend’s little sister—forbidden.Jolie Campbell was my solace in a dark life. Jolie was my first love, my first kiss. She was a soothing balm, loving me, keeping me from sinking in a ship of life that experienced daily storms. I promised her forever but I should’ve known better.I made mistakes and ruined … mistakes and ruined everything. Jolie is my favorite memory and my biggest regret. My need for her hasn’t faded even after all these years. She loved me for who I am. There was never a choice about moving on. I’ll always be alone. It’s what I deserve after leaving her the way I did.
Until fate hands me a second chance. A funeral brings me home to a place I swore I would never return. My memories and mistakes come crashing down on me before the plane even lands. I want to keep my distance from Jolie but my old feelings return like a tidal wave sucking me under while breathing life back into me. I tell myself to keep my distance from her. That no good could come of us, but she’s too hard to resist and I want my second chance with the only girl I ever loved. Too bad fate has other plans. . .
THE TRUTH ABOUT IS, is a second chance contemporary romance with a swoonworthy hero and a strong heroine . Enjoy Griffin and Jolie’s road to an HEA.
more
After reading this blurb I knew I needed to get my hands on this book. Second chance romances are my favorite. R.C. Stephens is a new to me author and I can’t wait to read more work from this author.
Jolie and Griffin grew up together and had a special friendship. He was best friends with Jolie’s older brother and off limits. As they got older they couldn’t fight their feelings any more and had a secret relationship. Jolie thought things were good between them until one day he was just gone.
Now ten years later and he is back and she wants nothing to do with him. He has his reasons for leaving and wants to make things right. When they are forced to be around each other they have no choice but to talk. Will they be able to make things work again?
I really enjoyed this book and will be reading more work from this author.
This was my first book by RC Stephens, but it won’t be my last. I love second chance romances. Getting a do-over or just an opportunity to make it right gives me all the feels. This is a great book and if you don’t pick it up you are missing out. I completely fell in love with Jolie and Griffin. You can’t help what the heart wants and they wanted each other!
Jolie is the little sister of Griffin’s best friend and they are sweethearts, albeit secretly, until he disappears one day. Now 10 years later they are both back in town for a family tragedy, and the attraction between them is still as intense are it always was. Will Griffin be able to convince Jolie to take a 2nd chance on them? This is a beautifully written story which is an emotional roller coaster journey throughout which had me on tenterhooks. This story is filled with drama, secrets, twists and heartbreak which all leads to a gritty and powerful story. I look forward to reading more from this gifted author whose work I highly recommend for all.
I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but it was definitely not what I read! holy plot twists, I was blown away.
This is the first book I’ve read by R.C. Stephens and I can definitely say that it will not be my last. This was a fantastic second chance/brothers best friend romance.
Griffin is ultra swoon worthy. He is loving, caring, sweet and will do anything for a second chance with the love of his life. He hasn’t always had the best life and when he was forced to leave the one person he loved more than anything it changed him. Jolie is a amazing. She is a fighter, a survivor and has so much love for her entire family, despite being dealt some bad cards in her life. When Griffin and Jolie are back together will the sparks fly and will these former lovers get the second chance they deserve?
The chemistry between Griffin and Jolie is fantastic, even after years apart. Once they run into each other again you can feel that instant spark, instant attraction and love that never really went away for the both of them. I loved their relationship and how hard Griffin fought for a second chance.
This story was EMOTIONAL! The was so much family drama, but the way Jolie and Griffin handled it had my heart bursting at the seams. I LOVED it and it is what made these two so amazing.
I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an emotional second chance romance!
Such a heartbreaking story about two people who had their worlds turned upside down and they we’re left living with consequences.
This story was really hard to read without having tears running down my face. It was really sad to see how much Griff was doing everything he could so that Jolie would stay by his side. They had so much problems to over come so when they finally left their past behind and started living their life as it was always meant to be you probably couldn’t find a happier person than me.
To be honest this book is not a happy one – but it will bring you a huge smile on your face by the time you read the words THE END.
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
* I received an ARC but am leaving an honest and voluntary review *
3.5 stars
I love a brother’s best friend story, it’s one of my favourite tropes. However, this one didn’t quite hit the mark with me.
I really did enjoy the relationship between Julie and Griff – it was sweet, hella hot and had an absolutely amazing ending.
There was too much working against them and too much going on around them that I didn’t feel as invested in their relationship as I normally would be. I found the ‘ex-lover’ drama a little cliche and knew it couldn’t end well for them to have their HEA.
Having said all that, I’m sure there are others who will love it- it was easy to read and well written. Just not quite my style
There is nothing better then a second-chance romance. I enjoyed being able to move between past and present so the reader can understand what went on between Jolie and Griffin. Although I wanted them together, I like a little more dramatics. I wish Jolie had made Griffin work for her a little bit when they got to her moms. I don’t think I would have went away for 3 days. Besides that, I thought it was a great book.
I wrote this review based on an advance reading copy that the publisher sent me.
A second chance, new adult, little sister/brother-best friend love story. This is one love story with so many twists and turns showing that love isn’t a straight line. Can you really say you’d make the same choices again at twenty that you’d make at thirty? People change regardless of whom they are with or maybe because of whom they are with. The Truth Of Us is an amazing book that delves into the choices we make, the family we have, and the family we surround ourselves with by choice.
R. C. Stephens opens the story with two teens, Griff and JoJo, in the midst of a mad, passionate crush teetering upon love. After a year and a half of dancing around each other with stolen kisses and touches JoJo gives Griff her heart and her virginity and then they promise each other a future together, right after Griff vanishes from her life completely ghosting her.
Ten years go by and JoJo has moved on, eventually marrying (although also losing her spouse too) when her mother calls to announce that her step-father has died and should return home. JoJo hasn’t returned home in years, the memories have been too painful, but since Griff hasn’t shown his face even once in a decade she doesn’t give him another thought that is until she sees him at the same airport.
A lot of time has past and Griff has burned a lot of bridges with JoJo, but the moment he sees her across the airport every reason he had for staying away vanishes from his brain. He believes in destiny and wants another chance with her. He wants everything and he won’t give up until she is in his arms again. He first needs to explain what happened ten years ago, but then convince her that there is a reason why they have this second chance.
JoJo has a lot of baggage and half of it is Griff’s to carry, the rest is her dead spouses. She never planned to fall in love again, but the problem is she never fell out of love with Griff. Will things be different this time? There are so many roadblocks, so much standing between the two of them can they really pick up where they left off?
R.C. Stephens is a ‘new to me’ author and i have to say I’m impressed.
When i first saw the blurb i just knew i had to read this book.
I love and i mean love second chance books and when i saw the blurb it really cemented the fact i needed to read it.
This book really has its ups and downs, you really get a feel for the characters and their struggles.
Jolie and Griffin really have a sensitive past, they knew they loved each other from a young age but with circumstances against them they never really stood a chance.
But when they get their second chance it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
I wasn’t always that keen on Jolie but she had her moments. She had a rough time so she kinda has her excuses but i wasn’t 100% on her.
Griffin on the other hand.. wow. Just wow. He was something else.
I look forward to reading more from this author!
Griffin and Jolie have history, the kind that stings every time it wanders into their mind, or the other’s name is mentioned in conversation. Growing up Jolie always had a thing for her brother’s best friend Griffin, but being that he was older, and well off limits, she tried her best to keep her crush under-wraps. That is until her senior year of high school, by then the crush had festered into a full blown addiction, and she knew what they had was something worth holding onto, so she made her move… and the outcome was epic. That is until he walked away after without so much as a goodbye…
Ten years have passed, and she has only kept tabs on him through her brother and the occasional update from her mother, but when a death in the family brings them both home things are destined to get a little tense… and maybe even a little hot too!
The Truth About Us is an emotionally rich tale that’ll have your emotions in shambles, and your feeling like it is in a vise. Nothing hurts quite the loss of real and true love, and Griffin and Jolie will prove that to you page after page, these two reeked havoc on my heart! Once they let go of the hurt and anger from the past, and started to fall for each other all over again my heart began to soar and my feelings began to reach a happier place. I loved watching the progression of their relationship, them start to work through the hurt, learn to forgive on another, and embrace all the sparks they had bouncing around between them… it was a beautiful thing to witness. If you are in the mood for a toe-curling and highly emotional literary escape look no further, because The Truth About Us has everything you crave… and more! Highly recommend!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.