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Synopsis

The road for Noah Westbury has been carved out for him, long before he knew who his father was.  Making sure he worked hard to deserve the opportunities provided to him, Noah is exactly where he dreamed of being – starting QB for Portland Pioneers. Together with a Victoria Secret’s model girlfriend by his side, life couldn’t get much better. Except for the fact that standing in his path is Peyton Powell-James, his life-long friend and the one woman he can never have.

Peyton Powell-James always knew her future would be in football and dreams of having a successful sports journalism career once she graduates college. After being given an assignment to cover a professional game from the sidelines, Peyton believes that everything is going to plan, until one fateful night changes her life.

Harsh reality sets in for Noah and Peyton. One could lose everything, while the other one struggles to keep the families together.

 

 

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Review

A surprising and truly heart-wrenching read

I love the idea of this series! Heidi McLaughlin has taken us back into the world of her Beaumont series, and is giving us the stories of the children who stole our hearts. First up is Noah (son of Liam & Josie from Forever My Girl) and Peyton (daughter of Harrison & Katelyn from My Unexpected Forever) and a friends-to-lovers romance that will rip your heart out and keep you guessing how it’s all going to unfold.

Noah and Peyton have been the best of friends since they were children. The last few years have been difficult for them as Noah is now playing in the NFL in Portland, while Peyton is in college in Chicago. Their lives have taken them in different directions, and though they don’t see each other as much as they want to, they still share an amazing bond.

But them something happens that changes everything, throwing Noah and Peyton’s worlds into turmoil. I’m not going to go into details, because you need to dive in and experience it as it all happens, and holy feels! Beautifully written with stunning emotion, you will feel everything! And it becomes the trigger that changes everything for these two as they finally come to realise the depth of their feelings for each other.

To Peyton, I’m Noah. The guy she’s known her entire life and once called her best friend. To me, she’s everything.

It’s far from an easy ride for the two of them, and it’s a rollercoaster read as we follow them through the ups and downs of figuring it all out. This book is surprising, and goes in directions that I wasn’t expecting, which I appreciated, but it was also incredibly frustrating in parts. Peyton is an amazing heroine, and I loved her strength, and Noah had his moments of romance hero awesomeness, but I just really wish he had grown some balls sooner than he did. A particular storyline got way too much page time and seemed to get way out of control when there was already so much going on in the story. It creates angst (which I personally think wasn’t needed), but it all leads somewhere, and we (eventually) get to see the love story that has been building for years.

“I love you. I’m going to love you forever.”

*dreamy sigh*

I love how involved the families were in this story. Part of the appeal of a series like this is the opportunity to catch up with much-loved characters of the past, and we a lot of time with characters from the series as we see Noah and Peyton interacting with the adults in their lives and seeing the incredible relationships that they have. It’s so beautifully done – a real highlight of the book for me.

Having said that though, you don’t need to have read the Beaumont series to enjoy this book as enough background is given to how everybody all fits together, and it will still be an enjoyable read.

I really liked this book. That beginning drew me in and I could not put it down. I would have liked less angst and more romance, but I’m happy with how it ended, and am interested to see whose story is up next.

4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

The Beaumont Series – Next Generation

 

This series is a spin-off to the Beaumont series

 

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Excerpt

Kyle Zimmerman, one of the top-rated quarterbacks in the league, and Chicago’s most eligible bachelor is holding my hand as he guides me to his car. The schoolgirl in me is trying not to let his presence affect me, at least not on the outside. On the inside, though, I’m all a ball of nerves mixed with excitement.  Who would’ve thought a simple assignment would turn into a date? Not me. Not in a million years, but here I am, being helped into his car and anxiously waiting for him to get behind the steering wheel.

And once he does, the sweet scent of his cologne fills the small space. I find myself leaning a bit closer to him so I can inhale deeply without looking like a creeper. Kyle smiles. It’s an ear-to-ear grin with a slight chuckle. I’ve been caught, but he doesn’t seem to care. He leans forward, pulling himself away from me. It’s probably best. We’ve just met and if he kissed me now, I don’t know what I would do.

“Tell me about yourself, Peyton.”

“I’m majoring in broadcast journalism. I love football. I’m a twin.”

“Is your twin as pretty as you?”

“Prettier,” I tell him.

“Impossible,” he replies, never breaking eye contact with me. “What do you know about me?”

“Everything, yet nothing. Your rookie year, you sat on the bench but started your second year. You threw sixteen touchdowns, eleven interceptions and accumulated 3,440 yards. Your completion rate was fifty-eight percent. This year, you’re pushing seventy percent and in line to win the league MVP. You’ve thrown for almost 4,500 yards, twenty-five touchdowns and four interceptions.”

Kyle’s eyes widen as his mouth drops open. “Wow, you had to go and bring up my first year, huh?”

I shrug. “You asked, but …”

 

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Author Bio

Heidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL and her brother, Racicot.

When she’s isn’t writing one of the many stories planned for release, you’ll find her sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.

Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, will be in theaters on October 27, 2017, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe.

 

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