The author's big and romantic heart of truth is on display in her first novel. Told in the voices of Evangeline, her husband Eamon, and Eamon's brother Dalton, each shares their stories of their initial meetings and of their primary roles in each other's happiness and well-being. Eamon is a police officer killed during a domestic violence call two weeks before Evi, a dancer, gives birth to their son Noah. Dalton, adopted into Eamon’s family and beloved by two other women, must step up for Evi. No decisions are easily made and the reader flies through the backward and the forward movements of all three engaging characters through the tragedy, to the joy in watching their progress to survival and ultimately to a path ahead. ( )

PROSETRY.

That's all I kept thinking when I started reading this. The words are smooth, rhythmic, beautiful. I highlighted over a dozen lines in my book because they were just simply gorgeous to say and think about. Also funny were references to Lloyd Dobler and Liz Phair -- you're speakin' my language here.

It's a dreamy book and Leesa Cross-Smith understands relationships deeply. The characters (and the writing) have subtleties that only an experienced observer of humankind could point out. What a refreshing treat to read a book that's just a simple/ok-not-exactly-so-simple love story. Light and funny, teary and kissy (is that an adjective?) Nice little read from an emerging voice. ( )

Grief and memory are the key themes explored in this novel. Grief and love side by side. A short review because once again I probably was not the right reader for this. A simple story, boy meets girl, tragedy befalls, girl has child and best friend steps in to take care of them both. What was different are the secrets exposed between the best friend and husband, and the husband that haunts the story, speaking from the beyond.

Not a romance reader so was glad this story was not told in an emotional way. The prose was occasionally clumsy and the books pace was very slow. I felt ambivalent about the characters, but was interested enough to see where it was going, what was going to happen. So okay for me, others might like it better.

ARC from Edelweiss. ( )

I purchased this book from Amazon to read. It was book 2 on my list for #totalcoverlover readathon. To be fair the first time I saw this book @whatmeganreads had posted it and it was so pretty I had to buy it! (Only because I believe in giving credit where credit is due.) 🥂 Whiskey and Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Evangeline and Eamon have the perfect marriage. She's a ballerina, he's a police officer. There is a baby on the way. Until one day fate had a different decision. Eamon is killed in the line of duty and a pact he made with his brother may be the key to letting go of the grief his death has caused and be the key to finding happiness for everyone involved including baby Noah. 🚨I cried more than once when I read this book. Some sad tears and some happy tears. 🚨Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Go Read, Library Thing, Amazon, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com ( )