Lies, Hearts and Truths #1
Kindle e-book, Audible audiobook
Author: H. Hunting
Lavender and Kody have known each other all their lives. Born to hockey legend dads who are close friends, they’ve been around each other forever. Lavender is a quiet, introverted kid around strangers. Kody is the super tense perfectionist kid. They both suffer from anxiety and they form a bond, an incredibly tight bond. When a traumatic event happens, Kody becomes obsessed with protecting Lavender and Lavender can’t seem to function without Kody around. So, the parents see fit to separate them, as they believe their relationship has become too co-dependent. Then, Kody takes upon himself to make sure Lavender won’t want him around. But it’s impossible to stay away completely from each other when their families are so close and soon fate will throw them together and the pull of the bond is too strong for them to resist. They’ve loved each other even before they knew what the feeling meant.
Let me start by saying that if you are looking for some sort of “Pucked – The Next Generation“, you might be disappointed. These are children of the Pucked and All In series characters but it has a very different vibe. This is a contemporary “fated mates” romance and deals deeply with living with anxiety. Both MCs suffer from it and it’s a major part of the book in how everyone deals with it.
I really liked how the book goes back and forth in time, letting us put together the puzzle of what happened to these two. It’s interesting to see how beloved characters from the series behave as parents … and, believe me, they screw up.
If you suffer from anxiety, you will get it. Sometimes it can take over and define you. Lavender and Kody are young and learning to cope and be themselves. It IS a new adult book after all.
I loved the groveling part and I can’t wait to read about the other “kids”. I truly loved it. Give it a shot.
Narration: Teddy Hamilton and Stella Bloom knocking it out of the park (wrong sport for the metaphor)
Rep and possible triggers: anxiety, LGBTQIA+rep. Anxiety and panic attacks, some involving involuntary self-harm, brief kidnapping scene
