Pretty Pink Ribbons by K.L. Grayson

Pretty Pink Ribbons by K.L. Grayson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Pretty Pink Ribbons was an emotional read of epic proportions for me. Did I cry? Without a doubt. But there were times when the scenes were so real and so powerful that I was sobbing to the point that I was unable to continue reading because I couldn’t see through my tears. The intensity of my response to the tragic events was equaled by the absolute glee I felt when Levi let Laney back into his life and the scorching passion they shared. Pretty Pink Ribbons is a second-chance romance in the truest sense and while I may be suffering from one of the biggest emotional book hangovers I have had in a while, I loved every page of it.

The Prologue sets the stage for the entire book and Ms. Grayson manages to establish the strength of the love between Laney and Levi within the span of just a few pages. While I was able to understand why Levi issued the ultimatum he did, I hated that he did it because I already knew what her decision would be – and not because of the book’s blurb. I found myself invested in both characters so quickly that my heart broke for them both. But that was nothing compared to how much I hurt for Laney as her story unfolded. The love and support she receives from Mia, Benny and Luke is heartwarming and does so much to help strengthen her resolve to right the mistake she made eight years earlier, as well as give her the emotional strength she needs to deal with her medical condition. While Levi does not make it easy for Laney to repair the damage to their relationship, his love for her makes it impossible for him to keep her at arms’ length for too long. Because I was privy to Laney’s condition and Levi was not, I was caught between understanding his need to take things slowly while wanting to yell at him to hurry up before he ran out of time. And when he finally learned about her medical condition, I was so relieved he didn’t get mad at her and try to break things off. If anything, it served as the catalyst he needed to make things right and his unwavering support after that was beautiful. I loved how Levi set out to help Laney fulfill her bucket list and how the experience helped him fall in love with her all over again.

That there are no guarantees in life or in literature meant I couldn’t be assured a happy ending or that the happy ending would be the one I wanted for Laney and Levi and that just added to my distress as the end of the book neared. The hospital scenes in the final chapter hit far too close to home for me – the level of realism ripped my heart out as I understood Levi’s feelings of helplessness and desperation far better than I would like. I will warn you that if you have ever had a loved one in the ICU and dealt with the uncertainty of whether or not they would make it, you need to be prepared to relive that because you will likely experience those doubts and fears again – at least I did. I read Pretty Pink Ribbons as a standalone and while I will go back to read Where We Belong, I know it will likely be awhile as I’m not sure I can risk another emotionally draining read anytime soon, no matter how much I want to know Tyson and Harley’s story. Well done Ms. Grayson.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the Pretty Pink Ribbons Tour Stop! blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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