Romance & Reality

Author: J.T. Geissinger

Publisher: J.T. Geissinger, Inc.

Publish date: August 16, 2022

Format: Paperback

Pages: 375

Rating: 5/5

Spice: 4/5

Genres: dark romance, romance, paranormal, thriller, mystery, suspense, smut, contemporary

Content Warnings: graphic sex/power play dynamics, miscarriage, domestic violence, mental illness, death and grief, explicit language

This book emotionally wrecked me! I was not ready for the whirlwind of an ending in this book and I definitely did not expect to experience so many emotions while reading. The plot kept me guessing with all of the twists and turns. I actually became tearful at one point because of some of the events that took place.

Kayla (FMC) is a very light, fragile and vulnerable character. She craves connection and the death that she experienced only exacerbated that need. She isn’t the woman who can perfectly hold it all together without anyone noticing, which makes her character seem more relatable.

Contrarily, Aiden (MMC) appears dark, avoidant, gothic and mysterious. He’s a man of few words, but his statements are very sharp. As his character develops, however, you’ll see that he’s just as delicate as Kayla. Actually, I’d say he’s even more delicate than Kayla. There’s a depth to him that some may miss because of his isolative energy. Once I noticed that, I dropped my personal assumptions and relaxed enough to allow their connection to be as deep and beautiful as it was.

As much as I want to write about her husband, my heart just won’t let me do it. I can’t find the words to describe him. So I will leave it at that.

The love Kayla and Aidan have for one another is deep, raw, and boundless. Early on, I was thinking this was going to be another “avoidant bad guy meets anxious good girl” kind of story, but again, the turn of events flipped my whole world upside down. I mean it literally turned my mind and emotions every way but loose! I was crushed once the truth began to surface, but I also felt a sense of relief because the storm had ended and an eternal connection could now flourish peacefully.

Now, enough with the sugar and onto the spice. While this may not be the spiciest book ever written, it definitely earned it’s rating. There’s plenty of explicit content in this book. There was one short scene that felt somewhat cringe, however, I pushed through it. I’m glad I continued reading because the book was too good.

While this book is categorized as dark romance, I’ve seen other reviewers suggest erotic thriller and paranormal romance as well. I highly recommend this read if you want to mentally digest something that will leave you completely twisted!

Curious for more? Indulge in the full story on amazon:  Pen Pal by J.T. Geissinger

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