Book Shelf: Harley & Rose by Carmen Jenner

Ever since she was a little girl, thirty-year-old Rose dreamed of the day Harley would carry her across the threshold on their honeymoon. So what if this isn’t her actual wedding day, and that she’s only here because Harley was left at the altar just a few hours earlier?
Trading San Francisco for paradise and swapping her bridesmaid’s bouquet for a Blue Hawaii, Rose hopes she can finally escape the friend zone.
Once upon a time they had been more than friends, but life got in the way. She’s spent every day since wishing Harley would get a clue.
She’s always been his best friend.
He’s always been hers.
She’s in love with him.
He’s … not in love with her.
He’s … marrying someone else.
He’s … hiding something.
He’s … well—it’s complicated. 

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Review: 

Harley & Rose by Carmen Jenner is a heart-warming and heartbreaking tale of love, loss and discovering your soul mate and is perfect for fans of The Fault In Our Stars, A Walk To Remember and The Time Travellers Wife.

Harley & Rose have been best friends since they were five years old and Rose has always dreamed of the day when Harley would get married…she just never envisioned the bride wouldn’t be her or that she’d need to be the glue that held Harley together when he was left at the alter by said bride. As she attempts to help him through his pain, Rose joins Harley on what should have been his honeymoon to Hawaii, hoping that he’ll finally see that she’s loved him all along. Once they were more than friends, but with life having gotten in the way, Rose isn’t sure she’ll ever convince Harley she’s the girl for him but as Rose attempts to get out of the friend zone, it becomes clear that Harley’s hiding something….and that secret is going to change their lives forever.

My gosh did this novel break my heart! I want to scream and cry and curse Carmen Jenner for all that she’s just put me through; if only I didn’t love her so. After finishing Harley & Rose I feel wrecked and gutted and just heartbroken. After so much to have it all end that way—it really brings the feels out. This novel made me feel every emotion—anger and frustration at some of the actions of the characters in the first half of the story and then sadness and heartbreak as the truth of Harley’s situation became apparent.

Told through the eyes of Rose Perry, Harley & Rose introduces readers to two best friends who have always been everything to each other, even though their time together as a couple came to an end in collage. The thing I quickly realised about Harley and Rose as I read the novel is that even though they weren’t “together”, they weren’t really over. Their feelings for each other were always undeniably strong and as Carmen Jenner details their time as teenagers through a series of back and forth chapters alongside the present storyline, it becomes abundantly clear that Rose and Harley couldn’t never not be in one another’s lives even when they were hurting each other and breaking one another’s hearts.

I’ll admit; I spent a lot of the novel hating Harley for his inconsiderate actions towards Rose and Rose for not only the way she let Harley constantly into a position to break her heart, but for acting the way she did in response. Carmen Jenner eventually goes on to reveal the reasoning behind many of these actions which only enhances the angst and misery as Rose especially discovers how little of that really matters.

Painful, emotional but very beautiful in places, Harley & Rose is a novel that will draw from its reader all depth of emotions and leave them somewhat satisfied with the bittersweet conclusion at the end. Carmen Jenner proves she can do sexy and emotional as good as anyone with this novel that I recommend to anyone who wants a story of passion, emotion and all the feels.

Rating:
Source: I bought
Publisher: Published by author Carmen Jenner
Format: Paperback copy
Release Date: October 18th 2016
Buy: The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Final Thoughts: This book was heartbreaking but beautiful.