Kennedy: Uprooting my big city life and moving to small-town New York to start over seemed like the best idea. The plan was to pave my own way as I always have; escaping my tumultuous past I so desperately want to forget. This summer was supposed to be a do-over until he walked in and set my world ablaze. A new job, an obsessive ex, new friends, new…lover? This summer is about to get interesting.… interesting.
Palmer: I’m no stranger to odd stares around town; I got used to that long ago. Going through the motions and drifting through a mundane life was normal until she strolled into town, igniting something long forgotten within me. When secrets unravel and the truth threatens to tear us apart, she must decide whether to stay and endure the flames or let our light flicker out.
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Palmer and Kennedy have a lot in common. Their story will touch your heart and have you cheering them on to a happily ever after that they so much deserve after everything they have gone through and continue to do so. Their drama never seems to end and the conclusion is a doozie!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When I first started reading this book I immediately loved Kennedy and Palmer. It’s a good story and the relationship between the two is so cute and steamy- can’t forget it’s steamy.
Devoured This Read!
4.5 stars!
“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Darling, but I think I like it.”
This was my first read by J.D Fondry, and she’s totally got me hooked on the age gap trope and her books. I basically loved every second of reading Palmer and Kennedy. They were on freaking fire, and I could not put it down. I haven’t really read many age gaps before, but the way J.D wrote their story, I’m now obsessed and totally get what their hype is about. I loved the small town romance in this as well!
We got the tattooed, older bad boy, Cole Palmer, and the sassy, strong headed new girl, Kennedy Darling. Kennedy and Palmer were so natural together, you honestly didn’t feel as though there even was an age gap between them, they just fit so perfectly. The chemistry was off the charts from the moment they met. It’s not an instant love, more like attraction, and I loved the build up to them and then the fastness of them together. They really flowed nicely. I also really enjoyed how they didn’t care what everyone else would think after finally getting together. If they were happy, then screw anyone else.
I reveled in the drama of this romance, of what happened in Palmer’s past to make him the outsider, and of Kennedy handling her new life in a new town trying to get away from her old life and everyone in it. But, of course, life sneaks up on you and it certainly did with them. I loved how it ended on the cliffhanger, it seriously has me wanting more and I’m totally feeling all sorts of emotions for what Palmer did. Like, excuse you! I even enjoyed the side characters a lot, they totally added more depth to the story in my opinion, especially with Jim being such an important role to the both of them. The only thing that really got me was the small back and forth between Kennedy and Palmer in the beginning. Do you wanna be together or not, do you care about what others think or not? But other than that, it was a good read! If you like twists, steam, fast burns, and feeling all sorts of emotions, then this is for you!
Kennedy is excited to leave the fast paced and drama filled life she had in Boston to work at her uncle’s bar in Beacon Hill, NY. She is going to keep her head down, work at the bar and go to school. But she wasn’t prepared to meet Palmer and feel an instant attraction that neither one of them could deny. Palmer is just trying to keep his head down and make an honest living running his mechanic shop. He never expected Kennedy to come in and flip his whole world upside down.
So I was confused by this book at first with Palmer going on and on about how they shouldn’t be together – there was no explanation for it at all so I didn’t understand these inner monologues of his. It just rubbed me the wrong way, maybe I missed the part where he said that it was because of their age and his secret but I honestly don’t recall it so I was confused and then annoyed by his whiplash. There and into Kennedy one second and then he would ghost her for days. But once they hit their groove they were cute and I really enjoyed them but holy heck does they have a lot going on with their journey. All the twists and turns and drama was never ending so I shouldn’t have been surprised by the cliffy on this one. Despite my issues at the beginning of the story I liked this book a lot, immediately picked up the next one and would recommend this book.
The Way We Burn is my first J. D. Fondry book and it won’t be my last. I loved Palmer and Kennedy.
Kennedy moves to the small town of Beacon Hill to start over and get away from her past. Palmer runs a mechanic shop and tries to stay out of trouble by keeping a low profile. Kennedy and Palmer were instantly drawn to each other and it’s clear why. They are very similar in many ways. While Palmer older than Kennedy at 36 to her 22 they have a connection you just can’t deny.
While a new relationship has it’s own difficulty add in the past coming back to haunt you. Palmer’s past comes back and threatens to destroy their future. And if that wasn’t enough add in Kennedy’s family and you have a mess.
The Way We Burn is exactly how I picture small towns, filled with drama and crazy exs. Fondry had me turning page after page without even realizing how addicted I was. And then that cliffhanger!!! Good thing I had book two to start immediately.
Great Age-gap Romance!
This is a great start to this series. The story is filled with angst, drama, intense emotions and lots of steam. It’s a story that will keep you captivated and highly entertained throughout and have you begging for more after that cliffhanger of an ending.
Palmer and Kennedy have an instant attraction to one another. Their story is fast paced and the intensity and heat pick up right away between these two. There are twists and turns that will have your emotions all over the place and keep you wanting more!
Great story all around. I can’t wait to dive into the next one!
This book was cute from the very beginning. The small town, the two people with dark pasts coming together. Kennedy, the young beautiful girl with a dark past who is almost all alone with a brother that is gone and a mother that hates her, a father that had been MIA all her life, but she still had her uncle who loved her dearly. Then there is Palmer, the dark broody older man with a compromising past that could very well break the love and affection they have for one another. Their chemistry is instantly, like love at first sight. They didn’t care about the whispers that their relationship brought. They seemed to have a lot in common, the secrets, the past toxic relationships, their love for music, etc. Of course, all good things come to an end, as it was with their happy relationship once two people waltz into their lives once again threatening and succeeding to end their happiness but there are plenty of surprises as this is not the end of Kennedy’s and Palmer’s story because the cliff hanger it just left had me going back for more.
Beautifully written, the story flowed effortlessly.
I really enjoyed this age gap romance, it made a change from all the bully ones ive been reading. Being 30 myself its nice to read about older men for a change and Palmer is the prefect alpha older male. Kennedy is also mature for her age so i feel the age gap doesnt show too much. They both have a brilliant chemistry.
Great read by this author, already excited to read the next one.
The Way We Burn is so dang good!
Kennedy’s the new girl in town running from her past, and Palmer is the town screw up trying to keep a low profile. The two lock eyes, sparks fly, and the rest is inevitable… Or is it? There may be a crazy ex (or two), a lot of drama and dredging up of the past, and one big fat positive of a cliffhanger ending.
Cannot wait to read From the Ashes!
THE REVIEW FOR THE BOOK THE WAY WE BURN BY J.D.FONDRY
*ARC PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR A HONEST OPINION*
GENRE:CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE.
AUTHOR:J.D.FONDRY.
TYPE:BOOK #1 OF THE SERIES BEACON HILL.
POV:FIRST PERSON…DUAL POV..
MY RATING: 4 STARS.
“We stick together and everything will be just fine.” It’s a promise after the last few weeks full of twists and turns. I believe it too. Turns out… we were fools.
KENNEDY DARLING, desperately in need of a new start in life, moves to a small town to work as a barmaid in her uncle’s bar. there she meets the handsome, broody, town pariah who has the ability to broke her already broken heart.
COLESON PALMER is a town pariah who has a past haunting him. Both of them got in a relationship but are unaware of their pasts..but life happens and they both have a revelation that will shake the basis of their relationship…
This book was a good slow pace steamy romance… the chemistry between the characters was off the chart..Kennedy was the sassy stubborn girl who just loves to have witty banters with palmer.
both of them have been through a lot and yet they hope for a future together…
I just love the unexpected cliffhanger …it was out of the blue forme…like everything’s okay and the next minute you are falling down.
“You are so good and you don’t even know it, but I’ll remind you every chance I get.”
This was such a fantastic and realistic story. It was hard to put down this book after I started reading. This couple are just everything with witty banter and explosive chemistry. That ending was like a knife to the heart. I need to read book two now. I can’t recommend this book enough!!
I have mixed feeling about this one.
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While I enjoyed the plot a lot of this really frustrated me. Unfortunately there were a lot of my pet peeves about a book in this one.
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The male lead Palmer, even though a senior to Kennedy I felt like he was immature in some areas and couldn’t get a handle on his maturity in others. He had his moments where I liked his character, but dumb choices and how he handled certain situations annoyed me. Kennedy for also annoyed me when it came to choices she made and how she handled herself also, so in that aspect they were the same. Must admit though she did have more moments than Palmer. She also felt more mature than her 22 years which I didn’t mind. Just certain situations really grates me.
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Other than that it was a good plot and it kept me interested. I’m curious to see where the story goes from here so I’ll be giving it another go. Hopefully our characters have had some growth in the next one.
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The world build was great. Must admit when I first saw the name of the city I instantly thought of a tv series but other than that, it was great imagery and vivid details that had me transported into this book.
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I wish I could give this a higher rating, like I said there were too many pet peeves for me to overlook. Hopefully the next book for me will get that 5 star rating.
This was my first JD Fondry book. And boy it won’t be my last. I fell in love with this story from the beginning. The way she illustrates the characters and changes from
Kennedy’s POV to Palmers, was honestly everything. I loved how music was referenced throughout the whole book (huge music junkie). It helped play out the scenes and gave me a better visual. I can not say enough great things about this story. It leaves you wondering page after page. Kennedy and Palmer are a very realistic type of love, which helped draw me in.
We meet Kennedy the new girl moving to a new city to start over. (I mean who hasn’t thought this or done it?) She works for her uncle in a small little quaint town where everyone really knows everyone. Palmer is one of the town locals. Mechanic, simple man making an honest living. Comes into Uncle Jim’s bar for a few drinks and sees Kennedy. Unbenounced to them; they were about to fall head over heels. With their tragic pasts, secrets kept locked tight, and the world against them, can they make it work? Or will everyone try and keep them apart? This book was so well written and thought out I am so happy I stumbled upon it. I’m itching to start the next one! I definitely recommend this!
This was my first JD Fondry read. I also don’t usually read contemporary romances as I like really dark books.
That being said, I loved this book! I enjoyed reading a lighter book that still had some angst, tragic back stories, and secrets. Also, who doesn’t love a book with lots of steamy scenes between the main characters.
Colson Palmer and Kennedy Darling made me fall in love with their story. Colson is 36 with a bad boy persona all tatted up, owns a mechanic shop, and pretty much freshly out of jail. Kennedy is a sweet and sassy 22 year old with an edge and a past she’s trying to leave behind and start over.
They both immediately feel an attraction and they both try to fight it. That fight doesn’t last long though. Once their romance begins, it’s a whirlwind and moves pretty quickly. Palmer is the sexy, strong, stable man Kennedy needs to ground her and stick up for her when no one else will. Kennedy is the sweet but sassy brat Palmer needs to keep him on his toes and bring laughter into his life.
However, as with any romance, difficulties arise. Things are only made more complicated by people from Palmer’s past coming back and trying to destroy the happy couple. Kennedy’s “family” also makes a small appearance to stir up trouble and hurt Kennedy. Can they survive their past? Or will they lose their trust in each other and call it quits.
I loved the main characters and the side characters. Kennedy’s uncle Jim and best friend Sterling are real supports for her. Sterling is that one best friend everyone has that never wants the party to stop and complete opposite of Kennedy.
This is book one in a series. It does end on a cliffhanger that made me scream. I immediately got book 2-From The Ashes because I could not leave Kennedy and Palmer especially in such a trying time. I NEED to know what happens. I will be reading through this series and am now a fan of JD Fondry. I will read future books by her as well!
This is a new author to me and I will definitely be reading more. I loved the writing style. The book was brilliant and definitely recommend it.
By the second page of chapter 2 I was in love with the characters especially Palmer.
I really liked the storyline and also the pace that their relationship grew.
I can’t believe what happened in the last chapter. One part I was pretty sure was going to happen but the other made my jaw drop so I’m angry right now and need the next book now so I’m not hating anyone.
A fantastic age gap romance. It’s a fast page turner and easy to read. I loved watching Palma and Kennedy’s relationship grow. They both have a past and it’s not always easy for either of them. I’m really looking forward to the second installment to see how these characters grow.
This is my first time reading anything from this author, and I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely be looking to read more from them in the future. This is the first book in the Beacon Hill series, and the story of Palmer, and Kennedy. When Kennedy finds herself in need of a change, she leaves the city, and moves to the small town of Beacon Hill. When Kennedy meets the towns mechanic, Palmer the sparks fly. This was a great read, the characters are well written, and have hot chemistry. This is intense, emotional, steamy, and dramatic, and I look forward to reading book two!
Im gonna have a hangover from that end for sure! This was such a full on, all hands on deck hot and steamy romance. I loved their whole story! They had an instant conection so its really takes off. If you want a slow burn this is not it.
The main character both have a past they want to forget and move on from. But its not always so easy. Together they try to find a way forward. But its hard sometimes. This book had everything what i need in a good book, it was hot and heavy, it had some drama, it had a lot emotions, it had lots of love. I really liked it!
I don’t read a ton of contemporary, usually going for supernatural romance but this book was really good. Kennedy and Palmer are great characters. I feel like Kennedy could be my B.F.F. in another life. Palmer is adorable with his dad jokes. Seriously one of the best contemporary titles I’ve read. I can’t wait to read more.
Colson Palmer is a typical small town blue collar man with a little rough and tough past.
Kennedy Darling is a young girl who is trying to start new and hide away from the pain of the past.
Their is an age gap, which as Palmer is in his 30’s and Kennedy is in her 20’s it’s really not an actual issue, if maybe just an awkward obstacle.
They have chemistry, in and out of the bedroom and if only they did some talking and not just exploring bodies their “dark secrets” wouldn’t have been used to blind side each other. But what kind of book would that be!
With a bruised ego, and a 4 second kiss with someone else and an unexpected test we are left on a cliff hanger.