Blog Tour Audiobook Review: Letter Late Than Never (Green Valley Heroes #3) by Lauren Connolly

Letter Late Than Never, a second-chance small-town romance from Lauren Connolly, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Letter Late Than Never by Lauren Connolly
Series: Green Valley Heroes #3
Narrator: Amanda Stribling, Ryan Lee Dunlap
Published by Smartypants Romance on May 11, 2023
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance, Adult Romantic Comedy
Length: 09:05
Source: the publisher
Format: Audiobook
My Rating:
Goodreads

Blurb:

Can a hot paramedic resuscitate this mail woman’s flatlining spirit of adventure?

Gwen Elsmere fell in love with Sebastian Kirkwood when she was sixteen, but a dead frog stole her chance to land the guy of her daydreams. Ten years later, when Gwen makes a desperate 9-1-1 call, Sebastian re-enters her life as the first paramedic on the scene. Unfortunately, she’s smeared in blood, and he’s engaged to another woman. The awkward rescue is far from the passionate reunion she’d secretly hoped for. Still, Gwen’s brief transformation from postal worker to neighborhood hero has her reevaluating her cautious nature.

If she can save a woman’s life, why can’t she change her own?

As Gwen challenges herself with adventures, big and small, she discovers an unlikely sidekick in her former crush. Sebastian reveals glimpses of the goofy teenager who first made her swoon, but there are shadows behind his eyes she wants to shine a light on. When Gwen discovers the sexy EMT is not as spoken for as everyone in Green Valley believes, she dares to hope for a second chance to risk her heart. But even as a chemist cat, drag queens, and glitter beards reward her new outgoing nature, secrets, pain, and fear threaten to snuff out her courageous spirit.

Gwen will have to decide if Sebastian and she are better late than never or better never together.

‘Letter Late Than Never’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

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Excerpt

“Did I hear what I think I did?” 

At Sebastian’s question, I turn to spy the paramedic wearing an alarmingly delighted grin. 

“You publish makeup videos? Online?”

I’ve never been particularly secretive about my hobby. But I also don’t advertise. Ever since my grandmother showed me the basics, I’ve been fascinated by makeup and all the beautiful things it can do to an ordinary face like mine.

“You heard right.” I narrow my eyes, daring him to mock me. “But it’s just for fun. I turn the comments off, so I don’t get any trolls harassing me.”

Please don’t be a living, breathing troll, I silently beg. 

High school Sebastian would never have made fun of me. Not in any hurtful way at least. But the man could have changed.

It’s disconcerting to realize I don’t truly know Sebastian Kirkwood anymore. We’re not friends. Haven’t been in years.

Which is entirely my fault.

A box full of frogs shares the blame, but let’s not get into that right now.

“And it’s how-to kinda stuff?” he asks. 

As far as I can tell, there’s no mockery in his voice.

“Yes—”

“It’s more than that.” Mrs. Keen talks over me, wiggling to sit higher in her bed. “Sometimes, she does these wild, lovely designs. Why, I remember one time, Gwen colored clouds on her cheeks and rainbows across her eyelids. I’ve never seen something so clever in my life!”

“Let me introduce you to my biggest fan.” I give Sebastian a sheepish smile as I gesture to Agnes.

“Can I watch them?” he asks.

For a moment, all possible answers escape me. Why would he want to sit for a half hour, watching me apply cosmetics to my face? Maybe he’s just curious? And he probably doesn’t realize how long the videos are.

“Okay. Sure. I mean, anyone can.”

The paramedic is already pulling out his phone, swiping across the screen, and finally handing it to me. “Can you pull it up? I’ll bookmark it and watch later.”

With him standing close to my side, watching over my shoulder as I navigate to my video channel, I try to remember if I styled the back of my hair after my shower. The short strands sometimes stick up in a weird cowlick if I don’t tame them into submission before leaving the house.

When I reach the website, I hesitate for a moment, deciding which video to bring up for him. Then, inspiration strikes, and I bite down on my lower lip to keep from chuckling. A couple of months ago, I did a bubblegum-inspired look. All shades of pink.

Perfect.

The second after I click the link, an incoming call notification blurs half the screen. The name of the caller douses my happy buzz in dirty mop water, and I get the sudden urge to find the closest hiding space.

“Here.” I pass his phone back, doing my best to form a smile. “Elaine’s calling. Shouldn’t let your fiancée go to voice mail.”

And I shouldn’t let myself forget there is a fiancée. 

My Review

This was a wonderful addition to the Green Valley Heroes series in the SmartyPants Romance Universe. It had some of the best banter and silly situations that I love in a rom-com. Not to mention the random tidbits here and there, like about male duck genitalia, something that once I learned about I could never get out of my head again.

Both of our main characters had such hilarious personalities and also great family members and friends that added to this world perfectly as well. I loved Sebastian’s brother that they visited in Nashville. His sister was a great addition to the story, at times totally moving the plot along, and the meet up with his parents when Gwen was buying stuff at their store and Sebastian had the kitten in the story was cute as well. Gwen also had a funny brother, his basically life-long grudge about missing out on a piece of pie was hilarious. We also got a lot of little walk-on time with beloved Green Valley characters too.

For the most part all of the characters’ issues fell into place and fit the puzzle perfectly to come to the right solution. The ending of one chapter at the end though was a perfect way to keep me on my toes, with a misleading bit of a cliffhanger, fade out before starting the next chapter. I was a little irritated with Gwen thinking Sebastian might actually be getting back with his ex after all they’d talked about. But I do really like the way they worked it out in the end.

The narrators for this story were great, both made their characters come alive. Highly recommend this one and look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

About the Author

Lauren Connolly is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance stories. She’s lived among mountains, next to lakes, and in imaginary worlds. Lauren can never seem to stay in one place for too long, but trust that wherever she’s residing there is a dog who thinks he’s a troll, twin cats hiding in the couch, and bookshelves bursting with stories written by the authors she loves.

Find Lauren online

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