I really like this author, and really enjoyed this book. Death of a loved one is never easy to get over, and Kennedy is no exception. It's taken a year for her to get to a place where she can finally scatter her first loves his ashes (Jared) near his family's B&B where his sister still runs the business. This is where Kennedy meets Aaron, Jared's best friend from his childhood, but there was a falling out years before Jared passed away, which also leaves Jared at an impasse on how to get over his best friends passing. For those who have lost loved ones, and have had difficulty moving forward, this story is a very touching reminder that love always stays with you, but life moves on no matter what. I loved what happens between Kennedy and Aaron, and how they work their way through very difficult feelings on how to move on, no matter how hard it is. Love the side characters in the story, Chelsea and Austin where a great addition. The town of Lyra Valley was the kind of small town that you would just love to live in, perfect setting for this story. Great book on a very heavy subject, but the author does a great job on making it light and fun. Very well worth the read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was a real and emotional story and I enjoyed the characters in the book. Everyone in the small town, and especially the main characters, were likable. I really enjoyed the portions of the book with dialogue between the characters; it was realistic, fun, and moving at times. The plot did keep me reading because I was rooting for Aaron and Kennedy to get their happily ever after, and I was truly invested in seeing how they would manage to let the past go and move on.

The place this book fell a bit flat for me was with all of the internal reflection. As I mentioned, the dialogue in the story was great, and it didn't even matter whether it was Aaron and Kennedy, the twins, Chelsea and someone, or any combination of characters.. However, because the story was based on an emotional time for the main characters, they were having internal conflicts and, at times, reading the repetitive thoughts plaguing them both was a bit drawn out. Additionally, the sort of insta-love that took place was harder to believe given the inner turmoil both characters were having about being together, not to mention the constant presence of the urn that Kennedy carried around with her,.

All in all, there were elements of this story that I enjoyed, especially the characters. I simply wish the love was not quite so rushed and the story had offered more interactions among the characters and a less analysis of each person's thoughts.

I have chosen not to finish this title. For some reason, I was not able to ever really feel that Kennedy had moved on and was open to the idea of something new. I think this may have been just me, and I did try this one a couple of times before deciding to put it down as a DNF.

I appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

Thanks,
Laura

Cassie's books are always so much fun to read! I loved this story, but it did feel significantly more serious than her other books, which made me miss the fun a little. Still a loveable, memorable romance though!

This is a beautiful story about dealing with the loss of someone you love & accepting that you can move on again if the time & person is right. Kennedy has lost her love to cancer. She returns to his hometown a year after his death to scatter his ashes, but she finds ways to postpone it. All along this time, she has met Aaron & is falling for him. But she can't accept that she can move on & Aaron feels guilty from a past sin. Will these two be able to put the past in the past or will it continue to haunt them forever? I highly recommend you read this book to find out! You won't be disappointed.

This was my first Cassie Mae book and it was recommended to me by Netgalley.
I liked it but to be honest I would go with 3 1/2 stars but I don't know how to put the 1/2 star in.
I liked Kennedy and Aaron as people and even as a couple, but her grief and his guilt went on a little too long for my tastes. But who am I to judge and say how long it should take someone to mourn the loss of their love.
They both knew and loved Jared and that is what they initially bond over but there is a lot more there for both of them. Jared was Aaron's best friend, until they weren't, all over a woman and that ended their friendship. Now Aaron wishes he had made amends before it was too late. Jared was Kennedy's boyfriend/almost fiance but unfortunately cancer took him too soon. He has been gone for more than a year now but she still carries his ashes around with her talking to them and not moving on. Based on some of their last conversations, she thinks he didn't want her to.
This story is about how they both learn to deal with their feelings about Jared and try to find a way to let the feelings they now have for each other have a place to grow and flourish.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Kennedy Walters goes to Lyra Valley to scatter her late boyfriend, Jared's, ashes. She meets Aaron Sheppard shortly after arriving and feels sparks ignite in her body immediately. Aaron is also intrigued by Kennedy but thinks he should stay away because of guilt and the knowledge that Kennedy is still in love with Jared. Kennedy was unable to most of this book to move on and it got really old after a bit. It had been a year since his death and she was unable to still function properly.

Both characters had guilt surround them with Jared. Aaron had even more guilt since an incident when he and Aaron graduated high school that he never received forgiveness from Jared for before his passing. Aaron was good at heart and didn't want to intrude on Jared's "girl" and tried to keep his distance.

Kennedy was hard to follow at points. She felt attraction to Aaron; wanted him to help her forget for a while and even felt stronger feelings developing for him at points. There was too much second-guessing and inability to make firm decisions for me to really like her. She was in her head so much and she was under some pretty big delusions about love and moving on from death. Her inability to think Jared would want her to be happy and move on was ridiculous at points. When she finally does the dumbest thing she could have, I felt absolutely no sympathy for her at all. She should have owned her feelings and not been a coward.

Aaron was completely understanding and too kind to Kennedy at points. I did like parts of this book but, overall, it was too in the character's heads for me to really love it. The second-guessing got old and dragged out too long for me personally. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest opinion.

Review…Guilty angst. Lots of guilty angst.

I finished this book several days ago, but I have delayed writing a review because I just don’t know what to say. This is unusual for me. It’s more common for me to not know when to stop. This book left me speechless…and wordless.

I wavered between 2 Stars and 4 Stars, and there are spoilers below.

This book is very nicely written…good flow and progression. The author is obviously very talented, but I got really tired of the guilt wracked potential lovers constantly…constantly…thinking about betraying a lost love, a lost friend. The book could have been much shorter if even part of that had been edited out. Then it could have been lengthened if some major questions had been answered. Why would the heroine of this story spend three miserable days on a train instead of hopping on a plane? Was she afraid to fly? Would the airlines not allow human remains in the passenger area? Why? There is no answer in the book. Three days on a train? That’s a long trip. Where was she coming from and where was she going? If the story ever says, I missed it in the jumble of guilty, emotional angst.

Still, this story had it’s moments. The landscape is beautifully depicted, and the characters are well drawn and interesting. As I said earlier, the author is talented, which is why I bumped it up to three stars. To get 4 stars, from me, a book has to be one that I want to reread…to get 5 stars, I would flip back to page one and reread immediately. I think that this book would be a wonderful read for anyone who has lost a love, that special one of a kind love, that you think will never happen again. A second chance at love. If that is something that would fit you, pick up a copy today and…

Enjoy!

2shay

A very emotional read. It was sometimes hard to read (nobody wants to imagine herself losing the love of her life).

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing, Group Loveswept for the ARC of "Pillowtalk" by Cassie Mae for my honest review. The genres of this book are Women's fiction and Romance.
Kennedy Walters is on a train,with her boy friend's ashes in an urn, destined for his hometown. It is a year that Jared passed away from cancer, and now she wants to free his ashes in the lake in .(his town). Kennedy carries his ashes everywhere, and sometimes talks to the urn, making her feel closer to him, and less reluctant to let him go.
Aaron Shepard, once a good friend to Jared carries tremendous guilt about betraying him. Aaron and Jared once so close, had a big argument, that was never settled.
Kennedy is staying at Jared's sister's Bed and Bath, and meets many of Jared's friends. She hears how daring and risky Jared had been growing up, and gets to see his favorite places.
Kennedy and Aaron are attracted to each other, and find it so easy to talk to one another. There is also the feeling of wanting more.
I find that the author describes her characters as conflicted, having feelings of guilt and hesitant in expressing their true feelings. I gave this story three and one half stars.
This was an emotional read. It is difficult to let go when you love someone. Is it possible to love again?
How and can you let go? It is easy to empathize with the characters. I would recommend this as an easy read.

I'm used to reading Cassie's more lighter stories, with the quirky humor and sexy nerds and was excited to read something from her with a little more on the heavy side. And she did a great job!

I literally could feel what Kennedy was feeling. Poor girl, being torn between her past love, and having to move forward with her life...possibly finding a new love. While it wasn't easy and she loved Jared with all her heart, Kennedy soon learns that she just may have room in her heart to let another man in. Even with the speed bumps along the way, Kennedy must decide if she can follow where her heart is leading her.

A beautifully written new novel that will pull at your heart strings and make you fall in love along the way.

I have enjoyed all of Cassie Mae's YA novels but her NA and contemporary, while enjoyable, haven't been as good in my opinion.

However, the synopsis of this book drew me in because I'm a sucker for angst so I really wanted to try it. After all, the premise is a girl, whose boyfriend has died, returns to his hometown only to find herself falling in love with his ex-best friend. What more could inspire tears than that?

I liked Kennedy from the beginning. She's a bit awkward but she's got spunk and a great heart. Aaron had that good guy/boy next door vibe going on though he can be adventurous and sexy too. Guilt plays a big part of the novel for both characters. Kennedy for falling for someone else when she still loves and misses her boyfriend. And Aaron, for a past that he can't seem to move on from and is ashamed to tell Kennedy about.

I really enjoyed the way the author was able to take a very heavy and angsty subject and lighten it up at times. So even though I cried, I didn't feel like my soul was destroyed while reading. The characters kept me coming back for more and rooting for their HEA. Some of Kennedy's guilt got a little old with the back and forth but ultimately she was able to overcome it and fight for what she wanted rather than wallow in sadness.

Although this book is technically part of a series, it truly stands alone. So I recommend whether you've read the others or not!

I immensely enjoyed this book I will be posting a full and comprehensive review upon release day.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this book

Kennedy Walters has come to Lyra Valley to spread the ashes of her boyfriend and soulmate, Jared. It was Jareds dying wish that his ashes be spread on the lake at his hometown. It has been a year and Kennedy can't let go. When she arrives in town she meets Aaron and is immediately attracted, but feels like she is betraying Jared. Aaron was Jareds former childhood best friend and there is a history there that makes it difficult for Aaron to act on his feelings for Kennedy.

This is a fast easy read. The book is well written and will hold the readers interest. The ending is predictable, which isn't a bad thing if you like happily ever after. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Cassie Mae is a new author to me. I found this book sweet and charming and not at all what I expected. I found myself a little confused about the storyline and this was definitely not my usual read, but it was a darling book.

I found this book depressing and tedious. The premise is that the heroine, Kennedy Walters has come to her boyfriend’s hometown to stay with her boyfriend’s sister while she prepares herself to fulfill his final wishes about where to dispose of his ashes. He had died tragically early from some type of cancer a year ago and she is having deep problems recovering from his loss.

She meets his former best friend, Aaron, and is, despite herself, attracted to him. Aaron’s lifelong friendship with the former boyfriend had ended when he’s slept with his girlfriend years ago. So he feels guilty now to be attracted to another girlfriend. But romance novels being what they are, they have trouble resisting each other. No one else seems to care and everyone else thinks that it’s time for Kennedy to move on and that Aaron, despite his own views of himself, is really a decent guy.

If that had been what the novel was about, it might have been better. But way too much time is spent with Kennedy dithering about giving up her boyfriend’s ashes. She sleeps with them in bed with her and talks to them. She just can’t give them up. It might be her way to cope with her loss, but I found that pretty darn creepy. There was too much of her sorrow and not enough of this new romance for me to really recommend this book.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pillowtalk by Cassie Mae is a beautifully told romance. A young woman deeply in love with a man ends up losing him...he was a man who didn't believe in marriage yet even until the end he didn't want to let go of Kennedy. He loved her. She loved him so much. A year after losing her first love, readers follow her back to a small-town. The small-town her love was from...to spread his ashes. From loss to sorrow, then to love and happiness...I was instantly impressed with Cassie Mae's writing. Her charcaters carried a heavy burden, a load that weighed them down from moving forward. Kennedy would hold the silver canister filled with her love's ashes. She proved to be a strong character. Aaron was strong too. He felt like he wasn't a good man and that he didn't deserve love. Then, Kennedy comes and instantly something about her fills him with joy. But first they both need to let go, and love again. Pillowtalk is a heartfelt, sweet, and sexy tale. I couldn't stop reading it. The plot was engaging and the characters were believable. Their pain was easy to relate to as well as understand. I can see this novel being a big screen picture. Beware, readers will cry just as much as they laugh when following Cassie Mae's latest story. Overall, I highly recommend it to all.

This book was everything a heart needs to heal. My heart hurt for Kennedy and her loss. But in true form, Cassie Mae flourished in her ability to make a bad situation a lesson of love.

Kennedy is returning to her first love's hometown to carry out one last wish. It's the hardest one he asked of her. Still not sure she can do it, she meets Aaron, Jared's best childhood friend. But their past isn't a happy one. Kennedy has to fight her feelings for Aaron, she can't already be falling for someone else. Aaron can't have her, he doesn't deserve the beauty after what happened so many years ago with Jared.

Follow the winding path that these two embark on. Prepare your heart for tears, acceptance, forgiveness, and the ability to love more than once in life.

A book of feels. Holy cow this story was just amazing; Ms. Mae did an outstanding job of bringing the reality of the emotions involved in loss, mourning, letting go and moving on. This is a super sweet and touching read and so full of emotions as we follow along in Kennedy’s journey a year after Jared’s loss. Going to his hometown to complete his final request and spread his ashes, etc., Kennedy meets his boyhood friend, Aaron, and the connection she finds with him will grip you as you are pulled into further into the story and face her struggles as she deals with the conflict she feels over Aaron, her moving forward, and her love over two men.

Please note that an ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review of which this is both honest and completely voluntary.

This was a beautifully written story about how grief has no time limit and how the right person can help heal the sense of loss that happens when you lose someone.