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I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
MY REVIEW:
A big thanks to Pepper Winters for providing me an early copy of this one to I can share my thoughts and reactions to it! Available July 27th, 2023!
Pepper Winters is notorious for long, emotional books and this was certainly no exception. I had prepared my mind and my heart to be dragged through the war field of emotional beatings. I had no idea what was really coming for me.
This book hits close to home for me in a number of ways. Firstly, with the focus on refugees fleeing countries and trying to find solace in a new home somewhere else. I see this every day in the news and am always heartbroken at the amount of boats that go down in the sea with its passengers. I appreciated Winters’ giving due focus and credit to these tragic situations. Secondly, is her aptitude for writing about soul mates and how it’s not always a simple or beautiful progress of finding those mates.
“All it took was for our eyes to touch and our hearts to beat, recalling the song we’d always known, slipping into sync where we belonged.”
Lunamare, Pepper Winters
An absolute coming of age story where two characters grow out of their childhood and into adulthood – including those growing feelings for one another. Winters’ holds your hand and walks you through the beauty of this development as they struggle with their feelings and try to keep those they love safe from harm. Neri and Aslan are deeply caring and loving people that really just want to see those they care about end up happy.
But when things go sideways… and they go really sideways… I was not prepared for the ratcheting up of my heart rate in the final chapters that had me panicking as I read through it all. As much as they always say “love can endure”, that doesn’t always mean we endure the pain that comes with love.
Fantastic characters in Neri and Aslan that really carry you through most of the story. Neri’s parents are also a large part of the story and sometimes I found myself frustrated with their wonton support and dismissal of human behavior or inevitability. But I also appreciated their carefree behavior in some ways as well. Watching Neri grow from a 12 year old bright-eyed girl into the haunted woman she is today was painful, even if it all makes perfect sense in the outcome.
GET IT HERE:
“This incomparable duet is Pepper Winters’ DEFINING MASTERPIECE – a true romantic masterpiece of SOULMATE love. Lunamare is in a realm of its own — like no other love story you will ever read.” – Goodreads
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“Is it true…that you pulled a lion from the ocean and fell in love with him?”
ASLAN
The sixteen-year-old boy named after a lion.
A boy with his entire life ahead of him.
A boy running from a terrible secret.
All it takes is one awful night to change everything.
One secret, one smuggler, one boat, one storm.
And he wakes in an entirely different existence.
Staring into the ocean-blue eyes of his twelve-year-old rescuer.
NERIDA
The twelve-year-old girl named after a sea nymph.
A girl with lofty dreams and absolute faith that she’ll achieve them.
All it takes is a bright, sunny morning to change everything.
One boy clinging to wreckage, one sea cradling him close, one chance at keeping him safe.
He’s illegal and unwanted.
She’s stubborn and so sure.
He’s lost absolutely everything.
And she’s found the only thing she ever wanted.
They begin as rescued and rescuer.
Slowly growing from twelve and sixteen.
He’s not allowed to touch her.
She’s convinced he is the one.
But as each day dawns on his illegal existence, Aslan’s secrets creep ever closer, the death he ran from hunts ever faster, and the darkness that he can’t get free of finally finds him.
And it costs him…
everything.
A true coming-of-age story that spans a lifetime. This book deals with heavy subjects and is advised you check the Content Warnings on the Author’s website.
Lunamare is a tangled romance that fans of The Ribbon Duet will love. Combining the beautiful drama of Nicholas Sparks with the brutality of dark romance, Pepper Winters has created a tale of soulmates, secrets, cruelty, and heart-wrenching love.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
On a career level, Pepper currently has close to 40 books released in nine languages. She’s hit best-seller lists (USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal) almost 40 times. She dabbles in multiple genres, ranging from Dark Romance to Coming of Age.
On a personal level, Pepper lives on a farm with two minis, four horses, countless birds and wildlife, and a precious little ball of fluff called Mo. Her little house-rabbit sits at her feet while writing all the words, and always seems to know when she’s writing a naughty scene. He’s her muse and the main reason why a rabbit is on her author logo.
Now back to the writing stuff…
After chasing her dreams to become a full-time writer, Pepper has earned recognition with awards for best Dark Romance, best BDSM Series, and best Hero. She’s an #1 iBooks bestseller, along with #1 in Erotic Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and Erotica Thriller. She’s also honoured to wear the IndieReader Badge for being a Top 10 Indie Bestseller.
After releasing two books with Grand Central, Hachette (Ruin & Rule and Sin & Suffer) Pepper is a Hybrid Author of both Traditional and Self-published work.
Looking for book recs…
Adventures in Literature 
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