CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONESamantha is aimless. A college dropout who’s just been kicked out of her house, she’s searching for herself. But she never thought she’d find herself moving into the apartment of the man she’s spent the last year trying to forget.Derek has secrets. An underground fighter who acts first and thinks later, he’s determined to keep that part of his life hidden. But when he’s … keep that part of his life hidden. But when he’s forced to offer Sam—the girl he can’t stop thinking about—a place to live, his carefully constructed lies unravel.
Everything is stacked against them. Yet neither can walk away.
She’s seven years younger.
She’s his best friend’s little sister.
She has a boyfriend.
There are lines you don’t cross… and they’re about to obliterate them.
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4.5 “One-of-a-kind” Stars!!!!!
Unveiling Hope hooked as soon as I read the prologue. I knew right then that this story was going to consume every part of me. I was transfixed, and nothing was going to stop me until I finished the book as soon as I started.
Sam was a character that was lost. Wanting to please her father in everything that was asked of her. But in doing so, she was living a life she didn’t want. Forgoing the one passion that called to her heart, music. She’s had enough though, tired of walking aimlessly and finally doing something about it. She decides to return home which also means running into the one person she hasn’t stopped thinking about.
Derek was a character that captured my heart. I felt everything he was going through. I yearned to go through my screen and just give him a hug. Derek’s been harboring feelings for his best friends sister for quite some time. And when he finally finds the courage to tell her she ends up leaving without giving him the chance to tell her. He then retreats and starts going down a destructive path. And in doing so, he stops playing music as well. But now that Sam is back home, will Derek finally tell her how he feels?
Sam and Derek were two characters both needing healing. Both knowing a lot about loss and how it affected them. And it was obvious Sam and Derek were meant for each other. They complimented one another extremely well. Their souls called to the other. They made beautiful music together. But the sweetest melody was their heartbeats matching the other, and ultimately beating as one.
“Loving you was the only way this was going to end.”
Unveiling Hope is the latest release in Jeannine Allison’s Unveiling Series.
I have been enjoying reading these emotional, with a bit of tension, stories.
They can all be read as standalone, but I would recommend reading them all:
UNVEILING THE SKY (Book 1)
UNVEILING CHAOS (Book 2)
UNVEILING GHOST (Book 3)
UNVEILING FATE (Book 4)
UNVEILING FOREVER: A Novella
UNVEILING HOPE is the New Release.
Derek Donahue has an early memory of sitting in his father’s lap, with his Dad’s Gibson, as he taught him to strum for the first time. It was the last happy memory he had of the man. When he left around his tenth birthday, never saying goodbye, it was almost a blessing. It wasn’t until Samantha Moynaha walked into his life that everything changed. Just a couple months after he met her, he picked up his guitar for the first time in years. She brought it all back. The notes. The lyrics. The music. Sam and my music quickly became intertwined.
They played in secret. Everything was stacked against them. Sam was Derek’s best friend’s little sister. She was seven years younger than him. Sam was brokenhearted about the early death of her wonderful mother and her father was indifferent. The heartaches of their past were linked to one thing and that was music. Until it felt like one couldn’t exist without the other. But when Sam heard Derek tell her brother Gabe, he thought of his sister as just a child. She packed her things and left for college to make her father happy.
A long year passes. Sam is unhappy at school, so quits and comes back home against everything her father wanted. Her father is so mad that he actually kicks her out, and cuts off any money. Just so happens that Derek needs a new roommate. She gladly moves in. But though she now is eighteen, she also came back with a boyfriend. Complicated!!
BREATHETAKINGLY WOW!! Jeannine Allison left me SPEECHLESS with Unveiling Hope (Unveiling #5)!!! This is a Standalone book but it’s best read when you read this Series in order which the characters are beautifully entwined with one another.
Sam and Derek’s story is So Beautifully written and it has All the Feels you can ask for in a Contemporary Romance novel. Of course, they have Instant connection in Unveiling the Sky when they first met. Their glances at each other and inching to be close but feel the dangerous territory of crossing the line. Especially of the 7 year age difference between the two characters but feel drawn to Each other that scares both Sam and Derek to Death.
They both have been through traumatic life circumstances and their self-confidence took a hit in their early childhoods but struggle with transitions in life now. They both learn more about each other that they Share a common bond and realized they learning from each other as their love grows. Sam and Derek are fighting for what they want and trying to stay afloat with the desire of their OFF the Charts Chemistry between them.
Jeannine Allison has a way with Words that Makes you Melting your Hearts and minds but sometimes wanna throw your Tablet across the room! She literally makes you feel like you are going through their journey along beside the characters themselves. There is a passion with Jeannine’s Storytelling and gives you a Delicious slow burn. Not to mention, leaving you a Blubbering Mess with wanting more and loving every minute of it.
And if you haven’t Started Reading Jeannine Allison’s Books before then YOU TOTALLY ARE MISSING OUT!! THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK!!! HANDS DOWN!!
Wow. Wow. Wow.
I knew Derek & Sam’s story was going to be something special……but my heart was not fully prepared for what was in store for these beloved characters. I swooned. I laughed. I cried. Every emotion that you could feel, I felt. These characters were so real to me, that I almost felt like I was intruding on such private and intimate moments. Derek and Sam were just so connected from the minute they met, that I couldn’t imagine them with anyone else. I truly love them more than any words can say.
If you haven’t read from this author before……you are missing out on some of the most incredible stories you will ever read. The messages you get from her words are important, ones that needed to be shared; and I know I related to these characters more than I think I have any others.
The Unveiling Series has quickly become one of my all-time favorites and will always hold a special place in my heart.
I have no words. I have no feels left.
In Unveiling Hope, Jeannine Allison shares a beautiful story of a love worth fighting for.
The relationship between Derek and Samantha has been slowly building since we first meet them in Unveiling the Sky. Their glances and touches have had the slow burn going on for some time, and that time is now in Unveiling Hope.
Both Derek and Sam have some battles they are facing, internally and externally as well. Only together do they feel a sense of peace and completeness.
Sam feels she has lost her direction in life, and is trying to find who she is as a person. Derek knows what he wants from life but is afraid to go after it, and he also feels he is not worthy of good things happening.
I really enjoyed watching them grow individually as well as a couple.
I can not recommend this book, series, and author enough. If you have not read Jeannine Allison before you are truly missing out on something special.
The Unveiling series has given us such great characters; they are real, raw at times and flawed, they heal each other and reaffirm love and all the pain and rewards it brings for those who persevere with it.
Of all the characters, none have piqued my interest quite as much as the magnetism and slow burning chemistry between Derek and Samantha.
This apparent unrequited love, but soul deep connection had me so eager for their story and Jeannine did not disappoint.
This author has a wonderful gift of illustrating her characters emotions that you feel the sentiment and intensity right along with them, in scenes and situations that are so very realistic, you hurt and swoon on their behalf.
Sam is a pure, almost ethereal soul, struggling to find her path and purpose following the loss of her mother that has left her inwardly alone as a result of her family’s disconnect despite her friendship with Derek.
And Derek, oh my what a sublime and complex creature he is, with enough outer strength and inner weakness to satisfy all our romantic tendencies, who seems to have abandoned hope when he and Sam go in opposite directions due to undisclosed feelings and misunderstandings.
Despite the gap in their ages, their situations and differences, when they do find their way back to each and concede to their feelings, their chemistry is so intense and all-consuming that it appears unlikely anything can separate them.
But when it does, I struggled with Sam’s reasoning, with some disbelief because of the strength of their connection but I did understand it’s importance to their future.
As she has in her other brilliant stories Allison nurtures and sews their love reverently and respectfully back together, with an ending that befits the soul pairing we knew was meant to be permanent.
“Loving you was the only way this was going to end.”
4.5 blindingly beautiful stars!
I discovered this amazing author in March. I binge read this entire series in days. I needed this author’s words like I needed air to breathe. That is not an exaggeration. Every book has a way of writing scenarios that are real life and evoke emotions. Perhaps that is what draws me to her books. They are not only “normal” things that everyday people might experience but chances are the majority of her audience might have experienced it firsthand or know someone in a similar situation. Her heroes are not rich billionaires (not knocking those because I have a few of those as my BBFS) but instead could possibly be someone we would meet and have as our own. Her heroines are like me, or you, they might be shy, or snarky, or lack a filter. And like so many of us they harbor the same insecurities or demons that her characters do which makes them relatable on a larger scale.
I wanted Derek and Sam to have a story since Unveiling Ghosts, and after Unveiling Fate I was still convinced that I needed this story. I might have squealed out loud when she commented on Goodreads that this story was coming. I became her number one fan (I am claiming the title) and follow her on all social media. She is as real and wonderful as the characters she writes. I knew going in that this story was going to kick me in the feels. It didn’t disappoint. This story is a slow burn of a story. The buildup and anticipation were needed in order to feel the underlying root of this story. Hope.
Derek (He is mine. I claimed him way back before his story was even announced) was everything I knew he would be. Protective, loyal, dedicated, and hotter than a summer day in Death Valley. Yet, he had abandonment issues that needed an outlet to feel numb because being numb was easier than feeling that hope that he could have and DESERVE his dreams. Sam. She was mature beyond her years, dealing with grief, and who felt alone and forgotten. She was inspiring and I wanted her to be my friend. There was steam but it was not the basis of the story (but when it happened it was HAWT). Together, these two were perfect to each other because they were able to offer each other the solace an support that they had otherwise been missing. They offer hope and therein shows the importance of this story.
It is easy to forget what is important, to give up your dreams, or get caught up in the “what ifs” but it is never too late to take that chance and go for what you are passionate about and just HOPE that the Universe hears you. I am so grateful to this author for giving these characters a chance to have their own story and write it in such a poignant way. I am so happy that the stars aligned and I discovered this author because her words have made me see the world in a brighter light. She is truly magic. If you haven’t read this series yet. DO IT NOW!!!
And can we just talk about this STUNNING cover?
Wow… just wow! Unveiling Hope makes you just sigh out loud with happiness, with contentment… with love. Unveiling Hope is exactly why I read romance! It’s so full of normal, of everyday fears mixed with the purist and beautiful characters. Jeannine Allison’s writing is fluid and smooth like it completely reads itself. There are so many passages, thoughts, and quotes that touched my soul. I’m not big into highlighting what I read but I highlighted Unveiling Hope. I highlighted several passages that resonated in my heart. Now, it isn’t all just hearts and flowers. Ms. Allison write some scorching hot scenes. I may never look at a bathtub the same again guy after Derek and Sam.
They are parts of Unveiling Hope that seem completely like real life. Like when they have the fight after the fight club and and she scoots over and lifts the covers for Derek… it’s just a cute scene I can see that exact situation happening with my husband. Derek and Sam were fabulous characters. It’s always great to catch up with some previous book friends too!
Unveiling Hope is a touching slow burn romance between two people both struggling at pivotal points in their lives. I adore the subtle symbolism throughout the book and the conflicting situations with their thoughts and feelings. What is it about humans that makes us do the exact opposite of what we feel? Prepare yourself because it doesn’t matter how you slice up Unveiling Hope… you’re going to feel it right in the pit of your stomach.
A few of the quotes that I went back to several times. These made me feel. They made me think. A book that does both these things are my absolute favorites!!
“You get scared and decide that not even trying is safer than trying and failing, or trying and being rejected.”
“… but I saw this kind of peace envelop him.” Peacefulness is what we all need
“There’s more than one kind of trust, Derek. It’s not solely about keeping someone safe from other people. Trust me to hold your pain. Trust that I’ll care about you despite the mistakes you’ve made.“
I have been waiting for this book since I finished Unveiling Forever a few months ago and HOLY HELL was the wait WORTH IT!!!!!
One of the things I absolutely love about Jeannine Allison’s writing is that she has the ability to make you feel exactly what her characters are feeling. Her characters are strong, with problems that are common but not spoken about in everyday life.
Derek and Sam are no different… And they balance each other absolutely BEAUTIFULLY.
I laughed, I teared up, and I got irritable while reading this. My heart HURT. But oh my goodness it was so, so, SO WORTH IT. And I honestly thought my Kindle was going to melt from the steam…
You definitely need this book. I HIGHLY recommend it!
5 BEAUTIFUL TOUCHING STARS!! What a beautiful touching story with so many feels. Sam and Derek have so much chemistry and perfect for each other, but definitely need to work through things. This author’s writing is flawless, she pulls you into the story with the characters. This book should be a 1-click for any romance reader.
What a beautiful story!! Sam and Derek both complete opposites but waiting for the puzzle pieces to fit together. Sam’s life is crushing down on her but the one person who she never thought is there to pick her up Derek. Derek has a secret about his life but doesn’t want anyone to know until one day it’s too late. Push and pull in this book had me squealing with excitement I loved every word, page and didn’t want it to end. 5/5 stars
I’m not usually a fan of angst born of miscommunication or complete lack of communication. But Derek and Sam have good reason or their hesitation to share. She’s leaving, so what good would it do to tell her the truth? She over hears a conversation that convinces her she’s just the “best friends kid sister”. I mean, in each situation who would really put their heart on the line?
But hope and love win out, thanks the chemistry that makes it impossible to ignore. Is love enough? Sometimes. But that doesn’t mean the broken is easily fixed. Some wounds are so deep they are part of us, and it takes realizing those we love deserve better than only the broken pieces of ourselves.
“Some days might be bad but I’m comforted by the knowledge that tomorrow is always different.”
I absolutely love broken, flawed characters that we get the privilege to watch grow. Derek’s presence in the other stories has only shown us what he wanted us to see- he’s the strong supporter, the fixer and helper to everyone else. Seeing him in all his truth hits me in the feels!!
**This is Book 5 of a series. Although this beautiful story can be read as a standalone, please start with Unveiling the Sky to avoid spoilers. You’ll be glad you did.
Derek and Sam have been quietly “slow burning” throughout this entire series..so when it was time to read their story; whew let me tell you it is like nothing I’ve ever read..Unveiling Hope is like an emotional gut punch right in all your feels. I couldn’t have loved this book, these characters and their story any harder; I dragged out my reading because I simply did not want it to end. The thing is…Jeannine Allison has such a unique way of storytelling that you can’t help but become emotionally invested starting at page one
“The music wrapped around us and whispered..You’re not alone…”
Derek and Sam are both a bit lost in life..Where are they going? Where do they see themselves in the future? And how do they overcome their pasts? Through music they found each other once and formed a bond and a friendship; both secretly wanting more; both denying their feelings…
“Anything that hurts your heart is worth something. Nothing is too slight or unimportant. If it hurts you, it matters.”
Sam has been going through the motions of living life but not truly living. She’s made so many choices in hopes of making the people around her happy & in hopes of forgetting a certain someone. But what about her happiness? So after a year of floating through life, attending college but not truly wanting to be there; she knows its time to go home. ..
Derek has been denying his feelings for Sam, for music and for truly seeking out what he wants from life out of fear…fear of rejection and fear of feeling that type of hurt again. For Derek it’s been safer to settle and not truly allow himself to want for the things that scare him the most.
“Everything you want is just on the other side of fear.”
When Sam returns home can these two rebuild their connection again and overcome their fears? Will they finally be able to admit their true feeling for one another? Can they allow themselves to hope for a better future together?
Unveiling Hope is definitely one of my top reads of 2018′; Do your heart a favor and read this one…I hope you enjoy it and much as I did
I feel like I’ve been waiting for Sam and Derek’s story for an eternity. I mentioned them in my July 2017 review of Unveiling Chaos, and here we are. I should be satisfied that I’ve gotten to read the story that I’ve coveted for nearly a year, but I can’t, and it’s all Jeannine Allison’s fault. (Proceeds to stomp feet like a petulant toddler.)
Because now that Sam and Derek’s story has been told, the Unveiling series is over, and I want more. I need to know what happens between Nevada and Essie. I want to check in on the others from time to time too, and see how they’re doing, what they’re up to. Like a delicious dinner, although I’ve eaten my fill, I want another helping (apparently 5 wasn’t enough. I’m very demanding!). And maybe dessert too!
Let me be very clear: the issue isn’t Allison’s writing… sort of. She could write a 20 book series, and I would still feel the same way at the end. Sad. In mourning. Gluttonous. Grateful. She creates characters, places them in situations, and progresses them with the grace and ease of a veteran writer. And she does so in such a way that the reader’s soul grows in both strength and empathy.
This is a five star read that will leave you begging for more, just like its hot sex scenes. (fanning self)
5 ALL. THE. FEELS. STARS
Honestly, I could not wait to get my hands on Sam and Derek’s story. I have thoroughly enjoyed the other books in this series, Unveiling Hope was no different.
Sam is young, but not at all naïve. She has lived through some difficult transitions in life and has lost her way. She likes to make those around her happy and sometimes it comes at a cost…her happiness. How long do you continue to do what others expect of you and not do what you feel is right?!?! Sam needs to make some tough decisions and finding someone’s unwavering support is what she misses. Can she find that with Derek?
Derek is no stranger to struggle and heartache. He’s so loving and supportive, yet his self-esteem took a hit at an early age. He’s holding back in life and doesn’t even realize it. He’s afraid to takes risks, afraid he is going to fail so his vulnerability shines through every turn of the pages. Derek doubts himself and tends to pull away from people and things in life before he can get hurt. It’s his defense mechanism, but once Sam enters his life again those negative feelings slowly start to shift. There is a tether pulling Sam and Derek to one another. They understand and value each other without judgment. They listen to one another and despite their age difference, connect on a level that neither has experienced before.
Jeannine writes beautifully flawed characters that you have no choice but to fall in love with. Her stories are overflowing with heart, emotion, love, forgiveness, the list can go on and on. I know my heart will hurt and tears are inevitable, but I also know that Jeannine will put me back together with the best kind of TLC. She walks through this journey with us, I can feel the raw emotion she packs in the story. I feel my heart explode and I know hers does the same. That is writing that captures my attention, it’s honest and real.
Jeannine truly has a way of making you feel the happiness, heartache and suffering her characters go through. If you are looking for an author that doesn’t stick to a standard mold, Unveiling Hope is the book for you. This is a delicious slow burn that I would gladly relive over and over again. It’s about what you feel in the heart when you read a love story, and Jeannine has filled mine up time and time again with her magical storytelling.
Unveiling Hope was definitely worth the wait. Ever since I was introduced to Sam and Derek in Unveiling The Sky I knew their story was something special cause little tidbits about them were revealed in the other books in the series. Only adding more tension to their relationship. As a first time reader Unveiling Hope can easily be read as a standalone. Nothing is left out and the other characters relationships are explained. So just jump and enjoy Sam and Derek.
Unveiling Hope oozes emotion from the get go. The prologue alone left me reeling and a little nervous about what’s to come. I’m pretty darn invested in Sam and Derek and the other characters from the Unveiling Universe so I had my expectations. Let me say the author Jeannine Allison delivers. Sam and Derek are characters that crawled under my skin and into my heart immediately. Their friendship especially how they comforted one another when they needed it was beautifully written. A certain scene where Derek sang to Sam had me unraveling cause the emotion was so poignant. That’s truly Jeannine Allison’s gift. She captures human interactions flawlessly and effortlessly. When Sam and Derek or any character for that matter speak or interact with one another they’re real and relatable.
Sam and Derek have both experienced loss and run away from what they truly wanted. Because of fear and what other people want or expect of them. They finally take a chance and follow their heart. Their journey towards love and putting themselves out there was everything and so much more than I expected. I not only got their story but also more of the other characters from the Unveiling universe. I went through every emotion and with that ending I can honestly say that I’m on cloud nine now.
The Unveiling series has come to an end and Jeannine Allison created the perfect ending. Not just for Derek and Sam but for everyone. I can feel her love for these people. Yes, they’re fictional but to me they’re friends and that’s truly because of the wonderfully writing and storytelling from Jeannine Allison.
5 BadAssDirtyFeelsGaloreStars
What more can I say about a series that is extraordinary? Every book in the Unveiling Series has been packed full of romance, life and love. Unveiling Hope is no different. Derek Donahue and Sam Moynaha’s story is one of joy, loss, heartache, forgiveness, healing, self-love and multi-layered emotions. Derek is loving, supportive, caring and also short on self esteem and belief that he is enough. He doesn’t need to be so doubtful, but sometimes we just don’t see ourselves as the good people we are. Sam is a beautiful, giving woman and loyal daughter. Trying to please a father that doesn’t deserve it, she doesn’t always make decisions that will make her happy. My heart just ached for both of them. And then there’s so much chemistry and attraction, the anticipation for them to act on it is as nerve-wracking as it is delicious. It’s a slow burn that drives you a little nuts, but well worth it. The characters are so real you want to be a part of their group and have more of their lives spill from the pages. It’s a beautiful, sweeping story and time well invested.
Jeannine Allison has done it again! Sam and Derek’s story was everything and more. Watching these two work their way to each other and learning their way was an amazing journey. Jeannine Allison has such a way with words, they are so beautiful they boarder on poetry and yet weave a story that stays in your heart. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.
What a sweet, sexy, emotional, giddy, way to end a series. Unveiling Hope Derek and Sam’s story finally gets told in this last book in the Unveiling series. Was the wait worth it? Yes, it was very worth it! What I loved was Derek and Sam finally putting themselves first and acknowledging their feelings for each other. Jeannine’s reveals to us why they both been scared to go down a path of love and a path of self worth. I also, love how we get to read what some of the wonderful characters from previous Unveiling books are up to and the role they play with the journey to love for Derek and Sam. Bravo, Jeannine to this amazing series.
Just finished this one & I cannot recommend this story enough. I have all the heart eyes for Derek the swoony bugger
I have wanted this story for a long time & it was everything I hoped it would be!!! You know the feeling of comfort/happiness you get when you read a book from a favourite author – that was me today. It’s a delicious slowburn, angst filled, older brother’s best friend story & ticked all my boxes.
Slowburn
Emotional
Realistic Dialogue
Desire to throw my IPad
Sexy
Smart
Heartbreaking
HEA
This sentence sums up the connection between these characters perfectly
“Loving you was the only way this was going to end.”
Highly recommend this story.