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Review

4.5 “I want to belong to you” stars

I never thought I’d want a Diane Donner book. Honestly, I never really liked her but I am so glad I took a chance on it because I ended up loving it. Beard in Hiding is just what I needed to make me feel something for Diane and I really enjoyed getting her story and the love she finds with Repo/Jason.

You never know exactly what you’re going to get when you open a Penny Reid book, just that it will be complex, well developed, entertaining, smart, and amazing. Beard in Hiding brings us Diane and Repo and their unexpected and forbidden romance, and it had everything I have come to love from this author’s writing. It is thoughtful, funny, steamy, and has a whole lot of heart. There is suspense and surprises, and we get so much more than I could have hoped for.

The reason Diane first goes to see Repo isn’t something I saw coming. I liked how she ended up laying it all out there and loved Repo’s reaction. They share an amazing night together but Diane is gone in the morning.

A year later they are brought back together and things escalate from there. I loved the progression of their relationship and I thought the forbidden aspects were well written. I loved their maturity and honesty. There wasn’t drama when it came to what and who they wanted. They were straightforward and really great together. Diane and Repo shouldn’t click but they do. They trust each other and I felt it. Their love and their fear are very real, and I love the self-awareness and growth they go through as they are given a second chance at finding love.

I loved how Diane owned her past. She wasn’t a great mother and she wants to make things right. Her regret and the drive to be better was strong and believable. I felt her love for her children. We get a whole new side to Repo and I really fell for him. He’s not considered a “good” man but he is not the bad guy everyone, including himself, thinks he is. He proves time and time again that he really is a good guy when it matters most.

I really enjoyed the book and though I loved the ending, I actually wanted more. How Penny Reid can take characters who are not the most likable and leave us loving them and wanting more proves she has an amazing ability to bring her characters to life and make them memorable. I appreciated this story so much more than I thought I could and I am glad she took a chance on Diane.