Reverse (The Bittersweet Symphony Duet)

In my review of Drive I referred to Author Kate Stewart as a seasoned cardiologist piecing our broken hearts into scarred masses that reside behind our breastbones. Someone, in that thread, referred or insinuated that her books border on psychological thriller. So continuing in the vein of medically aligned specialties, let's call Stewart a psychological warfare specialist, shall we? Granted, I have only the Ravenhood and now Bittersweet duology under my belt to make such a bold accusation, but if we're saying I feel personally attacked by the weapons of mass destruction she holds in her arsenal, I think 6.5 volumes of her work are enough to lay such claim boldly and loudly. Stewart outs herself not even seeing a future for a second book after penning her conclusion to Drive leaving us heartbroken for Nate and in total love with Stella and Reid's happy ever after. But to come up with the brilliant idea of gutting both Stella and Nate's relationships through their children - I think that is the definition of psychological warfare. No, her readers aren't her only victims. Her characters are directly in the line of fire. No one is spared from devastation as Kate sits behind her keyboard penning attack after attack against our emotional state of mind. A distinct difference between Ravenhood and this duology (and a half) is I went into the Ravenhood being outright told it was going to cause me emotional damages. And so I held off reading it until I needed that level of trauma. I knew nothing but that I was about to be mercilessly gutted. I didn't get any of that going into the Bittersweet duology. I was assuered tears and an emotional roller coaster. And it's exactly what I got. But I had no doubts Stella and Reid would get their happy ever after, just as I was 100% sure Stewart wasn't going to leave Natalie and Easton hanging even though putting them through the ringer without care to their poor battered and bruised hearts. But what I really think I got out of this book is the hidden gem that is the 5 year gap between stories. Don't get me wrong. Drive was nothing less than a 5-star read for me. But between Drive's 2017 publication date and Reverse's 2022 publication, she wrote and published all 3 main novels of the Ravenhood series (Flock, Exodus, The Finish Line). You can really see her growth as a writer and story teller. Her lines were so much deeper and definitely more refined for Natalie and Easton's story. I could have never read a single word of Drive, and I would still be able to experience the full whirlwind of emotions that must have taken place within those pages because of how well expressed it is in Reverse. Given my neurospicy brain, I tend to do a lot of skim reading when an author gets too wordy in their expository pasages, finding far too many authors tell instead of show. But I can say hands down I have read every word cover to cover inside each of the novels I have read penned by this talented woman. Many of them multiple times over because I need to relive the moments over and over. Stewart tells us little and shows us everything so spectacularly that it’s spellbinding, captivating. Crushing and healing all in the same moment. If I had to give another kudos to Stewart for Reverse, I would have to add that she says the words that need to be said instead of using a miscommunication trope to throw us off. The banter is amazingly on point - exactly what I both want and need the words to be - exactly the conversation I would have if I were sitting in the character's shoes. So few authors really get that right - and it's a huge pet peeve of mine in reading. But every time these character's speak in love, hate, hurt, or fear the words are absolutely perfect.

Did I stay up all night to finish this book? Yes. Like, no joke until the sun came up, then took a few hours’ to nap. I loved book one, but it pales in comparison to this one. Omfg. I read like a chapter, then sat the book down for a day because of life responsibilities. But when I picked it up and actually got into it omfg. When I say I couldn’t put it down, I’m not exaggerating. I kept saying, “I will just read until this time.” Then it would get to this time, and I would be like, “But this is happening. I can’t just stop yet.” So I will read until this time. Let’s just say this continued until 5:30 a.m. Yes, 5:30 a.m. FFS! WHEN I FINISHED THE BOOK! This book hurt so bad. There was a point I almost went to bed and updated my status as I hate/loved this book. I was honestly having an emotional crisis at one point because of this book. I haven’t hurt this bad since Exodus. BUT for different reasons, BTW, so don’t think I’m giving spoilers. I’m not. This book honestly takes your heart and repeatedly rips it up. Anyways. Angst? Ha! New definition of angst. I thought, “I knew angst… I didn’t.” Only one couple has ever compared. I do NOT regret waiting anymore to read this series. There is no way I could’ve handled it that soon after The Ravenhood. Will I be waiting to touch more books again by Kate Stewart? Probably. Idk if any others hit as hard as this series does. I was warned of this series before reading it. Needless to say, I do LOVE it. It is an amazing book. It hurts so good. The characters are amazing. Is it spicy? Yep. Is it long? Yep. Does it focus more on the “rock star” life than book 1? Yes, but you will understand once you’re reading it. It is a true rockstar romance. It focuses on book 1’s couples and kids. So you really need to read book 1 first. Their story really plays a HUGE part in this book. If you are someone who is emotionally moved by Kate’s books like me, you might need to get some tissues for the tears. Just saying. Also, I did listen to the audiobook while reading. It’s a duet and done so well. The passion. Omg. Just yeah. I love it. This contemporary romance is book 2 in The Bittersweet Symphony Duet. The romance in this book is a forbidden romance. The book is spicy with descriptive open door spicy scenes. Natalie finds emails detailing a secret love her dad Nate has tried to keep hidden. True to her journalism background, she has to get to the bottom of it at any cost. The cost she didn’t expect, though, was losing her heart to the one person she wasn’t ever meant to, Easton. Our love has the possibility to destroy both our families, or it can destroy us instead. This was an all consuming and heart wrenching read.

No words or sentences can truly describe how phenomenal and unforgettable this book is. It pulls at every single heartstring, pulse racing at the intensity of Natalie and Easton's connection, the love and lust filled intimacy and the gutteral sledgehammer to the heart during the heartbreaking moments. The emotions of this story literally poured off the page and seeped into your heart. I'm still in awe. This story was so raw, so real and miraculously written. When you first meet Natalie and Easton they are both guarded but they are vulnerable with each other. It was slow then instant how they exposed themselves and fully gave their heart to each other. Easton pushes Natalie with his honesty and being truthful. Her wants in life change but her dreams still stay big. In return, her giving herself fully and wholeheartedly to him, makes him want to be the best he can be for her (yeah, I know, it sounds familiar...he is a Crowne) Words, lyrics and music become the driving force to their love story but also the force that tears them apart. The words and music in Reverse are so powerful and hold so much truth, I felt captive to every word, every line, every syllable, every verse. It is such a deep rooted feeling that you feel in your soul when your listening to the song that goes with the chapter. There is such beauty when a song can elevate the emotions you are feeling while reading. 𝑵𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒈𝒊𝒂. From the first page to the last, the feeling of nostalgia stayed constant, like seeing family for the first time and didn't realize how much you missed them, that your heart actually ached. The music, the characters, the band, the settings, the cities brought out every emotion I could feel; I cried, I smiled, I laughed, I felt my heart shatter to pieces to then put back together, I swooned, I physically felt the lust and sensual moments, the love, oh the love, did I feel it. The love consumed my heart and soul long after I finished the last page. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ∞

Reverse is a whole 7 course dinner of emotions, angst, tension and heat. This is the story of the next generation of Crownes and Butlers, and if you are not exactly sure who they are, then I am going to suggest you step on the brakes, hang a U-turn and go read Drive, because that story (while also an emotional spin cycle) is really crucial to enjoying this story to the fullest. Natalie Butler, a journalist working diligently to earn the keys to her father’s kingdom, stumbles upon a some buried files that hit incredibly close to home. Needing to uncover the truth, she seeks out Easton Crowne, close, yet hopefully far enough removed, to help her solve a mystery of the past. Her curiosity will lead her down a path paved in secrets, deceit, and heartbreak but will also lead her to one of the most all consuming, soul shattering romances imaginable. Kate’s writing is phenomenal. The emotions and feelings expressed and felt by these characters transcend paper & screen, creating a palpable and submersive read. Reverse not only gives us a new couple to obsess over, but also manages to bring Drive full circle. Easton Crowne is the ultimate top shelf book boyfriend; willing to sacrifice any and everything for the one person in the world who matches his soul, his obvious destiny. I understood the issues and hangups that made accepting Easton difficult for Natalie, but I wish she would have been a bit stronger and dug her heels in just a bit more in a stand for what she wanted. Easton deserved to have someone fight with the same level of passion he brought to the table. In the end, I did feel like there was possibly a tad too much angst/drama ( *gasp* I know right?) and the last 20-30% probably could have been condensed just a tad, but that did not break my investment in this story and this will probably be one of my top reads for this year. This has only cemented my love for Kate's writing and I look forward to what else I can explore in her catalog.

New generation. Same meaningful Drive for music and its lyrics. Two star crossed lovers destined to be together but with a grenade wedged between them (see what I did there? iykyk), should not be, in the most betrayal way. Generations clash bringing another amazing epic all encompassing steamy love story that just gives you all the feels. Reverse is a phenomenal book that takes place over 20 years after Drive, this is a sequel I never knew I needed. Natalie and Easton's love is authentic and all consuming. Met by chances of fate, they weren't supposed to ever know the other. Their parents had their own history (as told in Drive), that would shatter family relationships if they found out they were together. Natalie, selfless, with her love for her father, I felt how she was torn in her decisions. And Easton, who guards his thoughts except for those closest to him, brings deep insight to life, love, and art. I admired his fight for what he knew they had. The struggle to be your own story and not someone else's history, something that is timeless. "The second thing is that she wasn’t expecting to be attracted to me, at all. That surprise was mutual." Not only did Easton, the musical prodigy, introduce Natalie to new songs, he did for me too. If it already didn't take me awhile to get through the much needed 600 pages, I paused ⏸ after most chapters listening to the song of the chapter, heightening the senses of the book. ▶️ "I grew up in a whirlwind of notes, tuned by melody, shaped by lyrics." Kate is an astounding storyteller, you have no idea where it will take you, but know you will come out surviving on the other side, even if it hurts to get there. You feel the characters, all their emotions. I was 100% invested. Seeing Nate, Reid, and Stella and bringing back their history was a punch to the core, but gave much closure. I definitely recommend the Bittersweet Symphony Duet if you haven't read it yet! I love Drive so so much and Reverse meets the prior’s level in different ways. I could go on and on about all these characters and little moments in the book. Two of my favorite books I've read this year. These stories are sticking with me for a long time. 🔁 ⏪ ⏯ ⏩ 5/5🌟 All the stars!

I feel like I am still in recovery from reading Reverse. It was a marathon of a read, with the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Before you go any further, if you haven’t read Drive, STOP HERE. Make sure you read Drive first, you really need it as back story to truly feel everything that happens in Reverse as it is a Second-Generation love story. This book is a beast, but I honestly didn’t lose interest at all. In fact, when I finished, I was slightly miffed that there wasn’t MORE of the story for me to read. When it comes to this love story we are told in Reverse, it is heartbreakingly beautiful just as the story was in Drive. It all begins with an innocently assigned project that leads to finding emails between Natalie Butler’s father, Nate Butler, and Stella. Natalie quickly discovers there is so much more to the story of these emails, and it is a story she cannot walk away from. It is this discovery that leads her to Eastson and ultimately to a journey neither Natalie nor Easton understand the full scope of. True to form, Kate gives us so much with Reverse that it is impossible to not fall in head over heels with the characters and their stories. This story will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. No character is safe from your feelings changing about them, even those we are seeing again from Drive. We are quick to learn that no character (Person) is perfect and as much as we want to say we learn from our past – we often forget those lessons. I felt like there were some serious “Pot meet Kettle” moments here. In this universe, only we exist. I stand by all of what I have said but will also say this is one of the most romantic books I have read lately. These two are absolutely meant to be, fated, twin souls, made for each other. Kate shares all of their story with us; the good, the bad, the hard times, all of the moments that make up a real love story. I cannot talk about the love or romance and not talk about the sheer amount of angst also. Listen it hurts, I mean it is a Kate Stewart book so yeah. But the angst is part of the journey and so are the tears. ”It’s just…if you get lost, stay there. I’ll come for you when it’s important” I say this all and will full admit there were at least 3 times that I threw my kindle away from me. At one point I decided that the book ended about 30 chapter BEFORE Kate actually ended it. HAHA. Just keep reading and trust the process, as scary as it seems.

So for real my book friends. I will never get over this book. This duet…Yeah, put a fork in me I am done. For years Drive has held such a special place in my heart. I was a little nervous on what to expect with Reverse. How would it compare? See that’s just the thing. It doesn’t need to be compared, actually I don’t think we should be comparing. I mean this Is Easton and Natalie’s story after all, and while yes, Stella and Nate’s history plays an integral roll in bringing these characters into one another's lives, It will be vital that they follow their own path and write their own story. BUT that is easier said than done and this book wouldn’t be the angsty deliciousness that it is, if it were. But real, true inevitable love will always be worth everything you have to endure to have it in the end! “The type of love that defies rationality, that trumps all reasoning, that’s uncontrollable.” Reverse is the second book in The Bittersweet Symphony Duet, coming to us five years after the release of Drive, and bringing us the unforgettably emotional second generation story of Easton, son of Reid and Stella, and Natalie, daughter of Nate Butler. In order to fully appreciate this couple's journey, to understand where they come from, how they became the people they are, you must go back to where it all started. With the people that created them. You will get the full dynamics of the Stella, Reid, Nate love triangle when you read Drive. I could say so much about this book but I honestly want everyone to have the ultimate reading experience when reading every book. Especially one this phenomenal. So I am not going to give any specific things about the book away. You can pretty much deduce anything I could say without spoilers by reading the blurb. Just know these characters will grab such an emotional hold on you. You won't ever be able to let them go. Their connection was intense, the sparks explosive. One life changing meeting became a chance at a love bigger than either of them could have imagined. But how could they pursue anything between them when being together could hurt so many people? “The truth that our souls clicked seamlessly together before our bodies ever aligned, and it can no longer be denied or undone.” Easton Crown is a character I will NEVER get over. I mean he is rock royalty. But he is so much more than that. He has to without a doubt be one of my favorite book boyfriends ever written. His talent, his attitude, his dirty alpha mouth. The way he is with Natalie. OMG!! The way he just puts what he wants out there. His music, I loved what a true gift he is to the music world and yet he’s humble and his motives for doing what he does in regards to his music are just honest and you get it when you read it. You just.GET.HIM. The songs, the entire soundtrack, the setting were all just as important parts of this story as the characters themselves and I found myself instantly transported into this book world. The sights, sounds and smells were all part of what had me captivated by this book from the first syllable to the last. BTW. This is a LLOONNGG book and I had a hard time making myself put it down. Author Kate Stewart does what she does best and does not shy away from the devastatingly gut-wrenching moments we are used to from her. Nor does she spare us the “I want to rip my hair out in chunks because I’m so frustrated right now” moments of agony. OH!! She definitely does not shy away from packing in the perfect amount of scorchingly sinful steamy goodness that will have you wanting to “slap ya granny!” Okay well maybe not actually slap Granny, because if she is like mine she would probably take a hickory to my fanny If I looked like I was even thinking about it. But trust me, my Granny would be team Easton all the way! Once again paired with a powerful array of music, a song to listen to before you read each chapter, It just further transforms you into the magic that Kate Stewart has created. With a literary vision that is unmatched, this author gives us a story that is organic, poignantly authentic, and utterly mesmerizing. This book will run you through the gamut of feels before you are done with it. But it is a reading experience like no other, and one that I think everyone that reads any trope that falls under the romance genre, and is a music lover should get to experience. I honestly am jealous of anyone getting to experience reading this duet for the first time. Although I will be adding Reverse to my list of books I re-read at least once a year. ( just like Drive has been for years) Six Sensational Supernova Stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't think anything could beat the emotional journey I went on reading the Ravenhood series, but wow, this hit hard in many different ways. I'm having difficulty summing up the emotions this book had me going through. If I thought reading about Stella's journey in Drive brought me to my knees, the story of Natalie and Easton had me ON THE FLOOR. I don't know how Kate does it, but her ability to write the most beautiful yet painful love stories is her sweet spot. The yearning, angst, and romance in this story were at an all-time high. Natalie navigates what she thought she always wanted for her future with the future she never thought she would crave. Easton is the soundtrack to that future, which lays a blazing path for both of them, hoping that future becomes reality. They go through it all in the hopes of coming out on the other side. Easton reminds me so much of Stella in that he wears his heart on his sleeve and his emotions out loud. Just as fiery and passionate as her dad, Natalie gets caught up in trying to do things the right way; she doesn't realize what's happening right in front of her. The yearning in this book is to die for. You will feel IT ALL. This is a love story that will stay with me forever. I loved how Kate weaved in where Nate, Stella, and Reid ended up. Thanks to fate and a little help here and there, I'd say both Easton and Natalie were stars always meant to collide. Well done, Kate. This was perfection