You’re not supposed to want the one who torments you.
When my stepbrother, Elec, came to live with us my senior year, I wasn’t prepared for how much of a jerk he’d be.
I hated that he took it out on me because he didn’t want to be here.
I hated that he brought girls from our high school back to his room.
But what I hated the most was the unwanted way my body reacted to him.
At first, I thought all he had going for him were his rock-hard tattooed abs and chiseled face. Then, things started changing between us, and it all came to a head one night.
Just as quickly as he’d come into my life, he was gone back to California.
It had been years since I’d seen Elec.
When tragedy struck our family, I’d have to face him again.
And holy hell, the teenager who made me crazy was now a man that drove me insane.
I had a feeling my heart was about to get broken again.
Stepbrother Dearest is a standalone novel.
**Contains graphic sexual content and harsh language. It is only appropriate for adult readers age 18+
Book Links: Goodreads / Amazon / B&N
About the Author
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers. She spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family friendly career.
Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends.
She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 8-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life.
Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island.
She is currently working on her fifth novel and loves friend requests from readers!
3 stars
"Through death there was life, through hate there was love."
Penelope Ward brings us a two part instalment for Stepbrother Dearest. Showing us the innocence of adolescent desire and love, whilst contrasting with that of adult passion, longing, heartbreak and undying love between teenagers long past. A love that transcended a seven year span. A love which tortured both participants, until their brokenness couldn't with stand that final pain of reunion. Only to be lost again.
Greta and Elec meet in the most uncomfortable of circumstances, becoming step siblings. When he comes to live with the stepmonster and stepsister for a year. Enraged at the sudden change in situations, Elec decided to seek revenge on an abusive and philandering father. Elec's intentions are mean spirited and to become as difficult as any uprooted and angry teenager can be.
"I'm Greta. Nice to meet you."
" You look different... than I pictured."
He squinted as me. "And you look pretty... plain."
Greta is attracted to Elec in a way that elicits desire deep within her. Elec is a major jerk and making Greta's life miserable. Greta is determined to push through and make Elec like her. As a sibling and a friend.
‘I left the room and went back downstairs. Seeing him looking so down when he didn’t know I was watching him made me more determined than ever to break through to him somehow. I needed to know if this was just a façade or if he were truly a genuine asshole. The meaner he was to me, the more I wanted to make him like me. It was a challenge.’
As their time together progresses, they both play constant pranks on each other, further adding to growing tension and angst. Greta doesn't know what happened between Elec and his father. In her determination to prove she can overcome Elec's pranks and cold hearted attitude towards her. Greta, stands up for Elec when the going gets seriously tough with his father.
Elec receives a single phone call that will change the course of both their lives for the next seven years. All they both have is now one night together. A night of goodbyes- passionate embraces and heartbreak.
"I'd rather have one night with you than nothing at all."
“I want to be the first one to show you everything and to be the one you’ll always remember for the rest of your life.”Believe me, he made an impression. Uuhhhhuh!
******
Seven years later
A single phone call informing both Elec and Greta, that his father and her stepfather has died, will again alter both their worlds.
Coming back home has never given them more sorrow and misery, than Elec learning the truth about this parents.
Greta and Elec meeting face to face after seven years, has brought all the pain and suffering crashing down upon them both. Elec returns home with a girlfriend, soon to be fiance in tow. Greta is devastated that he moved on while she suffered. Measuring every boyfriend she had to Elec. But being the bigger person, she wants Elec to be happy, even if it means, it's not with her.
"A broken heart is still a beating one."
Elec and Greta, go their separate ways after the funeral. It must have been the emotions that made Elec keep in contact with Greta, or it must have been the divinity of him knowing she didn't move on. That underneath all those years of yearning and suffering. She wholeheartedly waited and hoped for him to return to her. For him to erase all the hurt.
" In Life, he led me to my one true love. In death he made it possible to find her again."
My Thoughts:
Loved, loved the cover. The title even more. Yum!! The characters were perfectly developed and suited to each other. Innocence vs Arrogance.
The title and the story wasn't taboo and forbidden as it could and should have been portrayed. The forbidden aspect needed more angst. Randy should have found out and...... (I'll leave it to your imagination).
When I started reading this, I got all excited when chapter two finished. My hopes for a dual POV was bitterly crushed. *sad face* It would have added a nice edge to the book. All that angst alpha-male anger and desire, bubbling over to be let out. Whoop!!!!
I honestly, didn't expect the story of Randy and Elec. That was such a fabulously unique surprise. It really had me going and I believe if it was let out sooner, it could have done so much more for the story line.
It's a good read and I definitely recommend this book and author to be checked out.
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