Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Beard in Hiding by Penny Reid [Review]


Beard in Hiding (Winston Brothers #4.5) by Penny Reid
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 14, 2021

Winston Brothers
0.5. Beauty and the Mustache
1. Truth or Beard
2. Grin and Beard It
3. Beard Science
4. Beard in Mind
4.5. Beard in Hiding - Paperback | Kindle
5. Dr. Strange Beard
6. Beard with Me
7. Beard Necessities

Penny Reid
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Synopsis (Goodreads):
Diane Donner—recently divorced pillar of polite society—is craving danger. She’s tired of playing it safe and she knows just the sexy criminal motorcycle man to proposition for a good time. Problem is, she doesn’t actually know his name.

Jason “Repo” Doe never takes risks. So when the queen of local commerce walks into his club, looking to get risky and frisky, Jason knows the smartest thing to do is save himself a headache while saving the new divorcee from her worst impulses.

But then one thing leads to another, and the memory of just-one-night doesn’t feel like enough.

Theirs is a story with no future, because how can a dangerous criminal win (and keep) a queen?

‘Beard In Hiding’ is book #4.5 in the Winston Brothers series, is a full length contemporary romantic comedy about two lost souls in their 40s, and is a companion novel to the Winston Brothers and Solving for Pie series.
If you want to get the full immersive Green Valley world experience, I recommend reading ‘Truth or Beard,’ ‘Beard Science,’ ‘Engagement and Espionage,’ and ‘Marriage and Murder’ beforehand. ‘Beard In Hiding’ contains spoilers for these four books (in specific).
Thoughts on Beard in Hiding: Oh.My.Heart. I had no idea how much I would be rooting for Jason and Diane to find their happiness. I mean, the money man for the Iron Wraiths and the upstanding Diane Donner do NOT seem like they'd be a solid match, but BOY did they make it work.

For the record, I'd forgotten some of the dangerous drama Diane (and Jennifer) had been involved in after the separation and divorce from Kip. From late night confrontations at the Piggly Wiggly to being left for dead near boxes of bees to the murrrrder that took place. THINGS HAPPENED and ohmygoodness I had forgotten that poor Diane kept being put in the middle of things.

But it's not all drama and dangerous hijinks. There's the whole thing blossoming between Jason and Diane. It starts with a one night stand (Diane knows what she wants and the sexy, brooding Repo is it) and goes from there. Jason's utter bewilderment that Diane wanted him even though she knows he was a criminal and had done bad things before was...well, it was sweet. He was trying to keep her safe by keeping his distance and she just gave him all her wants and feelings in one fell swoop and he completely didn't know what to do about it.

Familiar faces, dangerous situations, a sweet, sometimes complicated relationship, a woman trying to find herself after a rough divorce, and a man who loves hard in the hidden parts of his heart. I genuinely adore spending time in Green Valley (and with those Winstons) and loved loved loved watching the money man and the upstanding lady find their happy place.


Excerpt
“Just say it, Diane.”

“Fine.” She lifted her chin. “I want someone to court me.”

And there it was. I continued staring at her, counting the seconds as they ticked by. Why she couldn’t just say, I don’t want you, you’re not good enough for me, I had no idea. Did she think I needed to be let down gently?

Well, now. That would be a first.

“I want dinners and flowers,” she went on. “And picnics and romantic gestures. I don’t want to constantly be making excuses for someone, for their lack of ability or skill or generosity.”

I deadened the needlingly ache behind my ribcage, suffocated thoughts and desires long abandoned. “Diane. You don’t need to say anything else.”

“I don’t?” Her features brightened and she approached the arm of the couch. “You understand what I mean?”

“Yes. You mean you don’t want me.” And that was fine, and it made sense, and I wasn’t going to dwell on it, and now I needed to go.

“What?” she snapped, her head tilting to the side like she needed to inspect me from a different angle. “No! No, you irritating man. Did I say that? That’s not at all what I’m saying.”

“Then what do you mean?” I glanced over her head toward the room’s exit, impatient to leave. I didn’t belong here, and I’d rather be stranded outside in a snowstorm than accept any more of her charity.

“I mean, I want you.”

My eyes cut back to hers and as I waited for the but—because there was always a but—I ignored the tightness seizing my lungs, the hope.

When she kept on looking at me, as though expecting a reaction, I prompted, “But?”

“But nothing.” She placed her hands on her hips, her tone salty, impatient.

What? “There’s always a ‘but.’”

“Fine. Yes. Okay. There is a ‘but.’” Her eyes moved like she might roll them, but stopped when they reached the ceiling. “I want you. But . . . only if you want me the same way.”

I stared at her and that’s all I could do because I was so damn confused.

Meanwhile, she peaked at me, nibbling her bottom lip, looking so goddamn gorgeous in her little nighty.

“Do you . . . want me?” The uncertainty in her voice, the vulnerability, hit low in my stomach.

“Pardon?” I choked out because, was hers a real question? How could she not know how much I wanted her? Hadn’t I just kissed the hell out of her? Hadn’t her breast just filled my palm? Hadn’t I just literally said the words, I want you?

Her tongue flicked out to lick her lips and she stepped fully around the couch, her eyes huge. “I’ve been in a lonely, one-sided romance before. I don’t want that. I want something deep, something meaningful for both people involved. I’m not saying we have to get married. Lord knows, I’ve had enough of marriage to last a lifetime. I don’t think I’ll ever get married again. What I’m talking about is something real, authentic, passionate, but also—above all else—loving. Because what I’ve never had, what I’ve never known, is that.”

“I . . . don’t understand.”

Diane took a deep breath and then said loudly, “I want a relationship,” like the words were a painful confession and the only way she could speak it out loud was by shouting them.

I stared at her for a moment longer before finally asking, “With who?”

Her lips twitched. “With you.”

What? “With me.”

“Yes. But a real one, not just—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—not just sex.”

I barely heard a word she’d said, instead repeating, “With me,” again because the idea was absurd. A relationship with me? Is she crazy?

“Yes. With you. As I’ve said.”

“But . . . Why?”

“What do you mean why?” She frowned. It was severe. “Have you met you?”


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About Penny Reid
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

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