She can’t possibly know how much I want her. How much I love her. How I never stopped wanting her. Never stopped loving her. I won’t walk away again. No matter what.
S.M. West
Trusting the Ex
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Format:
audiobook
At the time of this review, the audiobook is on sale for $2.99 at select retailers:
Also available at:
Publisher’s Synopsis:
I’m screwed.
Drew Hayes just showed up on my doorstep.
My brother’s best friend.
The love of my life. My ex.
He gave me the only thing I’ve ever wanted, his heart.
Only to dump me six months later.
Five years have passed and I’m married now.
But when I tell him to leave, he does the opposite.
He storms into my life, tears down my walls, and
demands the one thing I won’t ever give him again.
My love.
He’s my past.
I can never trust him, not after he destroyed me.
Yet every time I look into his eyes, I see my future.
Point of view:
1st person. Alternating between Pippa and Drew’s perspectives.
Rellim’s Thoughts:
This is book 1 in S. M. West’s 6ix Loves series. However, this is a continuation of events & the relationship established in the prequel, Resisting the Best Friend’s Sister. As such this book and my review will have spoilers to that book in it.
Content Warning (spoiler, but it’s a main topic throughout the book):
The book and my review discuss domestic violence. (more CWs below)
West made a major shift from the flirty and mostly light relationship that finally develops between Pippa and Drew in Resisting the Best Friend’s Sister. Trusting the Ex begins a few years later at her wedding… to someone else. Drew regretting he pushed her away. Unfortunately, the man Pippa moved on with is not who she thought and she finds herself somewhat trapped with an abusive husband.
I was impressed with the way West handled an emotionally fraught topic with respect to the realities of leaving, especially when the abuser is wealthy and connected. Weaving this with a second-chance love story for Drew & Pippa was done well, as was the emotional ramifications throughout their family and friends.
Poor Pippa has been through so much in her life and I like the unexpected yet still realistic ways she was able to move on. I also appreciated that West made Drew work hard and for a while before they could get their HEA. Pippa deserved that emotional security in her life.
Lots of great secondary characters to fall in love with – plus TWO epilogues! (I love epilogues). It was great to see Drew & Pippa in the future. I’m looking forward to Claire and Matt’s book, Scoring the Player.
Narration:
Stephen Dexter & Summer Morton continued a fantastic job of bringing Drew & Pippa to life. There were so many strong emotions in this book that I felt strongly through their performances. (To the degree that I had to take a break a few times, but I mean that as a sincere compliment to West, Dexter, & Morton.)
Content Warnings (possible spoilers):
significant mentions & descriptions of domestic violence & cheating by Brock (Pippa’s husband), very brief mention of attempted sexual assault of a child (past). Personally, I don’t consider Pippa & Drew’s reunification as cheating since it was after Pippa left her abusive husband. However, she is still legally married to Brock at the time so others may disagree.
While I own the ebook, I received a copy of the audiobook from Home Cooked Books and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
About the author:
You can connect with S. M. West here:
About the narrator:
You can connect with Stephen Dexter here:
My Favorite Quotes
“Sadness is woven through her, in the way she carries herself and in her expressions. It’s dark, and so big that it takes up its own space in the room.”
“She can’t possibly know how much I want her. How much I love her. How I never stopped wanting her. Never stopped loving her. I won’t walk away again. No matter what.”
“Should I see how far this goes or put a stop to it?”
“Kissing Drew is as natural as breathing and as thrilling as a roller coaster ride.”
Rellim Reads 