Title: Ten Reasons to Stay
Author: Candace Knoebel
Series: The Risky Hearts Duet #1
Publisher: Self-Published by Candace Knoebel
Publication Date: August 29, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Received an advanced copy from the author/InkSlinger PR for the purpose of this blog tour

Goodreads
Amazon

Rating: 5 stars

One day a week—Thursdays—my husband and I could do whatever or whomever we pleased.
Protection was non-negotiable.
And no matter what, we had to be home by midnight.

Jack was the one who wanted an open marriage, but we were supposed to keep things simple. No strings. No commitments. It seemed so easy… until it wasn’t.

Devilishly handsome Cole Blackwater was only supposed to be a fling, but everything about him made me feel alive. Wanted. Seen. When I realized he was my husband’s boss, I should have broken things off right then… but I didn’t.

One day a week, I could pretend that I was his and he was mine… until Cole wanted more.

But how could I decide between the man I’d promised to love, honor, and cherish, and the man who tempted me to break every single vow I’d made?

Review:

“Maybe I wouldn’t ever have her. Maybe she’d never leave him, but the least I could do was stand up for her when he wouldn’t. Make him see her, because in the end, my misery didn’t matter. Only hers.”

Corinne was a great female character. She was put in a pretty tough situation, the kind of thing that would be the last marriage arrangement most people would be ok with. But I felt like she handled it with grace. Instead of being bitter and deceitful, she stuck to her end of the bargain and took the time to truly become herself again.

Sorry, Corinne, but I’m stealing Cole from you. Considering the situation he was in, I had so much respect for him and the way he handled things. It would be easy to be a massive asshole and pressure Corinne constantly, but he never did that. He respected her and the situation they were in.

“In that moment, I realized that every phase of our life comes with change, and different people fit into those pockets of change for different reasons. Some were there to hurt us, which thickened our shells. Some were there to build us up, lifting our pride. Some were there only briefly to open our eyes, bringing back the magic we lost.”

This was my first Candace Knoebel book, and based on her writing alone, I’m officially a fan. I adored the way she wrote this. It was like you could feel what each character was feeling. Both the happiness and the heartbreak.

The plot was so creative to me. I’ve never read something that involved an open marriage. Most contemporary romance novels are very cut and dry, black and white. This novel explored more of a grey area, and it did that so well. Something that goes into a grey area could easily be a miss more than a hit, but oh my god. I loved loved loved this.

The pacing made me so happy. This book happened over the span of a fair bit of time. Nothing was instantaneous. The way the love developed between Corinne and Cole and the way things went down between Corinne and Jack. It made everything feel more realistic and natural.

Read this book. Seriously. Read. This. Book. It’s not the most typical plot in terms of a romance story, but it pays off. I highly recommend picking this up right now. Candace Knobel has the ability to be a powerhouse contemporary romance writer and I hope more people read her novels. I certainly will be. It’s worth your time.

About Candace Knoebel:

Candace Knoebel is a hopeless romantic with an affinity for whiskey and good music. Her love of words began when she met the boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs. She’s a self-proclaimed Lost Girl. Words are her mirror.

With two completed series, her work ranges from  paranormal to contemporary, all centered heavily around romance. Currently she lives in Florida with her husband and two children, and has just completed her thirteenth novel, The Taste of Her Words.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Amazon | Instagram | BookBub | Reader Group