First time. Second chance. Third Life.My first time was with him–one hot weekend with a handsome stranger. It was supposed to be a one-time thing, but he keeps asking me to meet him all over the world, and I keep saying yes.I don’t know anything about him except his first name. That’s the way he likes it. He’s too old for me, and he’s hiding secrets, but I’m not going to be able to keep my heart … to be able to keep my heart out of it for long.
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I believe this book had a lot of thought put into it. I like books that just seem to happen like real life. Noelle Adams gets better every book she writes
When life gets hard, love never ceases to find a way. Third Life takes that sentiment and runs away with it. Adams paints an imaginative escapade of life, love and adventure that will wrap itself around a heart. Gillian and Richard are a beautiful escape from the hard times of the current real world.
Reread:
I originally read this when I was sick with covid which was unfair to it and myself as I was living life in a fog at the time. Rereading it was truly like reading it for the first time as I pretty much had no recollection of this story or these characters.
Gillian and Richard both were such diverse characters. I hurt for the pain that they each lived with. While they had different issues and both touched my heart, it was Richard’s that had me tearing up. It was torture watching him through Gillian’s eyes as he felt the full force of pain from their conflict.
This was such a beautiful story, deep and meaningful. The moments this couple spent together as their relationship developed was both fun, emotional and filled with sizzle. I still missed Richard’s point of view as I didn’t have a clue what was going on with him, other than it was obvious by his invitations that he wanted Gillian.
I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book again and realize there was so much more to it than I originally thought.
Original review:
Read this during a rough time so admittedly, I was a bit distracted. However, I did find it to be a nice little read. Written from the heroine’s point of view, I would have liked to have something from the hero. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the journey this couple traveled, the little twist at the end and a very nice epilogue.
I just love Noelle Adams books and this one is special. It is one of my favorites and the Gillian and Richard’s romance is so beautiful to read. They meet by chance and Gillian is wanting to start her third life and try something new. Richard is infatuated by her and her need to live diferently, he is the one that live his life by demand and the fact that she is so pure and wanting something different is very attractive to him.
They have ups and downs just like life and it is so interesting to read and it is captivating.
I loved this book and their story. In fact, I have read it more than once!
Steam took center stage here numerous times, folks. If you are looking for a graphic smexy, lusty read featuring a much older hero, you’ll hit pay dirt here. In fact, this main couple’s self-labeled, non-existent relationship was based on it for some time. Not surprisingly though, when body parts get entangled that many times so do hearts and feelings, especially when pillow talk commences.
What I wasn’t expecting was Gillian, an intelligent, pretty, 32 year old virgin heroine, thinking she was more likely to find the man of her dreams if she was no longer a virgin. Somehow she got it into her head a quickie, meaningless, underwhelming, one time only, smex romp between hotel sheets with a completely random, boring guy would fix her and that pesky problem. I’ll just leave it at this girl had some insecurity issues. She seemed to constantly be putting herself down.
You can’t help but feel the sexy chemistry and eventual, slow evolving emotional connection as this couple do get to somewhat know each other. The twist near the end regarding the hero did surprise me. But, even more so, was the decision he made soon afterwards. I’m a little torn whether that particular move made him appear strong or sappy. Her upset reaction to finding out a secret he’d been hiding was understandable. Maybe because he explained it all to her (including what he chose not to do) when she confronted him that I felt she played the victim card a tad too long. I could tell the guy was genuinely sorry at least.
Told in her point of view only, I think if we had spent some time in the hero’s head it would have been better…certainly upped the relationship angst anty even more.
This is a “new to me” author, btw. I do hope to read more of her books in the future. I was just really surprised how explicit the smex was between them. I swear even sound effects were included.
I’m all about romance though, so I’m trying to cling to that more than anything else here. At the end of it all, these too desperate souls do seem to really want to be together.
Title: Third Life, Author: Noelle Adams, Pages: 259, stand-alone, 46 year old hero, 32 year old virgin heroine, numerous VERY detailed graphic smex scenes, smart but insecure heroine, new to me author, celibate awhile hero, ending felt a little too contrived.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no relationship or affiliation between this reviewer and the author, publisher, or NetGalley.)
This was a story I wasn’t expecting from Noelle Adams ~ I loved the different feel, I loved the story-line, I loved the twist and thank you for the epilogue! Gillian and Richard each had their own backstory and reasons for choosing their weekend together, it was fun to see where they would go next and feel the emotions of the growing friendship. I really wish we could have gotten some of Richard’s voice in this one, but overall I enjoyed it.
Third Life is a dream. A new beginning. A fresh start. I had no idea how deeply this story would affect me. Noelle Adams actually brought me to tears. The enotional upheaval in these pages is sure to maim any hopeless romantic. So either guard your heart or embrace the hurt, which ever you choose know it’s not going to be easy but you will definitely end it with a smile…and a need for champagne.