With no escape in sight, I seek the only freedom left to me—my thoughts, my dreams, and my memories. I remember a magical night under the stars, under a streetlight on the eve of greatness. A night filled with laughter and confidences, pregnant with promise. And I see him so clearly, my prince, asking for a kiss. Sometimes, we stand at a juncture on which our path, our very life can turn. A fork in the road. Sometimes the heart speaks in whispers, and by the time we hear, by the time we listen, it’s too late and we don’t know. We don’t know that we should have turned right instead of left. Chosen one instead of the other. But now, in the retreat of my mind, I know. And I kiss him. In my dreams I choose him, my prince, instead of the fraud. In this parallel universe, at this second-chance juncture, I turn right instead of choosing wrong . . . and there, only there, we are together.❞ Before I get into it, I have to warn readers that this book has sensitive themes that may trigger some. It is told in graphic detail, so tread lightly. Long Shot is an absolute "must read". You will love August and Iris. You will be gutted with the story. And you will fall in love as they find the strength to fight their way to that perfect moment and take the long shot. It was beyond uncomfortable to read. I almost had to disassociate at times, I took many breaks in between to read something lighter and step away from the story. Fortunately, I had the luxury to do that.

Be part of our book reading community with BBS yearly & LRQ quarterly reading challenges, SRx1x3x3 monthly group reads & #ShhPolls. Chat books in Shhare Books, post & find Book Dealz & get your game on in our PLA⚔️ROOM. Plus, follow us on social media where we feature #ShhQuote, #ShhaStagram & Fun facts. Seven words to describe Iris DuPree: Naïve, lonely, meek, impressionable, stubborn, conflicted and patient. Thank you Kennedy Ryan. Thank you for taking the shot. Thank you for your voice and your courage to tell the tough stories that touch us so very deeply. You're an inspiration. The second half of the story is where our heroine Iris goes on a journey of healing. But the aftermath of being in such a relationship are still very much present. It broke my heart to see how much she was broken down by this. Her soul was crushed. She never fully recovers by the end of it but she is getting there slowly. In her own time. I wish I had met MiMi, her wisdom and her clairvoyance guiding me too. Her cryptic support meant for Iris, could be helpful for

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While their paths go in different directions, they find out it's not as far as they thought. Their world is even smaller now, but their chance to be together seem to go further and further away. Long Shot (stand-alone) is the against-all-odds love story, spanning years, between NBA superstar and businessman August West and college grad and aspiring sports marketer Iris DuPree. But like I said, it truly did get better towards the middle and I really enjoyed how the author incorporated elements of humor, suspense, sports and romance all in one to create this phenomenal piece of writing!

I’ll never take this for granted. Not his kindness, when I’ve known cruelty all too well. Not his tenderness, when I’ve been handled roughly in the past. Not his love, when I’ve been possessed and owned and mistreated.” I don't think a female lead has ever been written as beautifully and as pathos evoking as her in this genre. She's the modern version of everything I aspire to be in life and it was a pleasure getting to know her. This is a story of love, sisterhood, heartache, healing, and hope. A story that will make your heart stop, and make it beat again. And it's a story you will carry with you forever.

Wow, I was blown away with this story, not only does it awaken the awareness of domestic abuse but tells the story of two relationships, one that was destined to heal and one that had the potential to destroy. Separation: Kind of They are separated shortly after kissing (and other things) for the first time for about a year, but they were not technically "together" at that point. The h was raped by the OM and the H hadn't been with anyone during this time. I spoke because maybe there’s some girl like me. Young. Vulnerable. Naïve. Flattered by his attention. Maybe she thinks his jealousy means he loves her more or that it’s cute. Does she realize that slowly, surely, she’s being cut off from her friends? Isolated from her family? Being molded into something she’s not? Into what he wants her to be?” Iris and August are destined to be together from the moment they met but choices derailed that. Long Shot is also about taking chances. Risks. Seize the moment and make choices that feels right for you. Make you feel heard. Iris encompasses and captures all of that with her independence and incredible strength. August is her compass. Her love and her center and vice versa. He’s deadset in his love for Iris and it never wavers. Together they’re an entity. Kennedy writes important books. The topics of her books aren’t always easy, and this book had some especially brutal scenes involving domestic violence/rape. There were parts that were hard to read, but it was a book that needs to be read. From the outside, we never truly know what battles others are fighting. It’s apparent that Kennedy really did her research when it came to this topic. It made my heart hurt at times, but I think as difficult as Iris’s story was to read, it was more empowering than anything. No matter what hardships Iris goes through, she finds a way to stand on her own two feet.

Some people are afraid a gator will crawl out of the swamp and emerge as a threat. My nightmares star a different predator. I dream Caleb will rise out of the bayou some day and eat me whole, and next time I won’t be able to pry his jaws open and escape. Cheating: Yes, technically The h develops feelings for the H while with OM. She does try to leave the OM unsuccessfully, and after that she kisses the H and he gives her oral sex while she's technically still with the OM. And in a smoky room filled with shadows, those parts of me Caleb scattered, I reconvene. All the pieces he splintered, I mend. And everything he stole from me like a petty thief, those things, every single one of them, I repossess.❞ The heart speaks in whispers, but sometimes by the time we listen, it’s too late. I learned that the hardest way. And maybe that girl can change her course before it’s too late.”Many times August and Iris cross paths, and even when they are apart he thinks of Iris. August has no idea what Iris is going through behind closed doors he sees only what the media see's, the golden boy of basketball and his new fiance but he was taught one thing by is father and goes by has gut and that is, when the time is right he needs to take a shot. August felt Iris, it was more than attraction so when he see's her again at a game he believes it's fate until he discovers the boyfriend she was taking about was his rival in the sport Caleb. Long Shot is a basketball, sort of second chance romance that starts with one night at a bar that changes two people’s lives forever. It is the night before August’s big college final game, and Iris is a basketball fanatic that came to the bar to catch her beloved Lakers play. August was just looking to blow off some steam, but he wasn’t planning on meeting someone who he would never forget. The chemistry is instant and so damn good. I truly believed that these two characters were real and were soulmates and it was a damn treat to be inside their heads. Kennedy Ryan doesn’t just write stories, she provides a reading experience with a rich, beautiful narrative and has once again blown me away with the sheer power of her writing. This author is not one to shy away from exploring the full depths of her characters and the world they find themselves in, and never has this been more apparent than in, 'Long Shot.' It’s raw, thought provoking, and edgy, and feels so very real and authentic in the telling making this a heart-breaking story that thankfully healed my heart when I needed it to. Iris, our heroine, is one of THE BEST, one of the strongest and most resilient female characters you will ever read about. It can be tough for a female character who is so strong to not come off as arrogant or obnoxious. Iris was neither. Iris was beauty and strength personified.