Stepbrother Dearest

by Penelope Ward

• ISBN10: 1502446936
• ISBN13: 9781502446930
• Publish Date: 23 September 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 232
• Language: English

Reviews

[whisperingchapters]

That was such a great story! The feels hit me hard with this one. My heart broke so much for Elec and Greta, but ugh, what a beautiful heart-breaking romance! Penelope Ward keeps surprising me with her amazing writing.

[Angie]

Why did I wait so long to read this one?! Stepbrother Dearest was just as good as I hoped it would be! Greta and Elec's parents have been married for a couple of years, but they don't meet until Elec's mother goes out of the country and he's sent to live with his father. Greta is excited to meet him, but then she does. Elec might be the hottest guy she's ever seen, but he's also a jerk! She tries not to take it personally since there's obviously some issues between Elec and his father which he seems to be taking out on her. However, that attraction isn't just one sided, even if it is forbidden.

Stepbrother Dearest was so good! I almost completely loved it! Almost because the format was a bit weird. The first third is Elec and Greta as seniors. This is when they meet, and when things first heat up for them. Then part two is seven years later! I didn't mind that too much, since that is a recipe for tension! So much can happen in seven years, and it does. Greta and Elec's reunion is super tense! Holy crap! But then there's this portion where we're reading Elex's autiobiographical manuscript, which basically retells everything that happened up until that point from his perspective. I get why it was done that way rather than a traditional alternating POV, but I didn't like reading the same thing twice. I wanted them to get back to the kissing and the sexing!

Stepbrother Dearest is a very short and quick read. I read it one sitting because I just could not get enough of Greta and Elec! Their chemistry is off the charts! I couldn't stop smiling at all of their interactions, even the heart breaking ones, because I knew they'd end up together somehow. This was a very sexy and emotional Romance, with a hint of the taboo.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[limabean74]

So I was looking for something different to read, a little more edgy than I normally read. The Stepbrother books were just in my face and this one kept popping up every time I would go on Amazon so I finally figured why not and got it.

HOLY CRAP! I am so glad I did. It wasn't exactly what you think but it was insanely amazing.

The story follow Greta and Elec, GOOD GRAVY! I loved these too. Yes Elec was a HUGE pain in the ass and Greta was a bit obsessed over him but holy crap if you are going to have a thing for your stepbrother this is the guy you want to fall for. The story kept me reading way past my bedtime and starting back up as soon as I woke up. I loved every minute of it and was hung on every word. I did give this book 5 stars because it blew me away, however, I must mention that when you are reading his POV of the event that happened throughout the book it was interesting but redundant, I am not sure we need every detail word for word but it was a good way to see a glimpse inside his head and what he was feeling for her. I think what I liked most about this books was how the Stepbrother angle was handled, it was something that didn't make me uncomfortable. The relationship they had was done very well and when all the details of Elec's life was put on the table I thought even that was done with class.

I honestly LOVED this book, I loved Greta and Elec and I LOVED there relationship. If you are looking for something a bit Taboo and you are a bit of a newbie with that type of reading than this is MUST read for you. It was a great start to edgier reading that I will for sure read again. Penelope Ward, can really write fantastic characters and one amazing story.

[Jack]

This was a breath of fresh air from all of the other typical New Adult books that have been coming out lately. Sure there is a douchey, play boy hero but when we hear his side of the story as to why he does what he does it makes so much sense. He has solid reasons why he acts the way he does, unlike so many other NA heros who just act douchey because they think they are everything and gods among men. Sure the heroine may be a bit naive and a virgin, but she’s not whiney and weak like so many other heroines in NA. She holds her own, which is also a breath of fresh air.

We’re introduced to Greta, a seventeen year old young woman who is about to meet her stepbrother Elec for the first time. He’s coming from California because his mother had to go away on a business trip for a year.

Their first meeting didn’t go well at all. Greta had built up an image of what she imaged her new step brother to be like based on a picture she had seen of him. Boy was she wrong, he was the complete opposite of that photo. He tattoo’s, smoked, and had an all around horrible attitude. That didn’t put Greta off though, she wanted to try and get to know Elec better, befriend him is possible.

Elec did everything in his power to torment and tease Greta. He didn’t want anything to do with her, despite how much he may have wanted to. Despite the relentless teasing Greta and Elec eventually form a friendship and a bond that lasts a life time. He becomes the stepbrother that was bent on protecting his sister, which I thought was really sweet. He becomes passive of her, disapproving of the dates she goes on because he can’t stand to see her with anyone else.

They eventually reveal their feelings for each other have a sweet night together, but not before something drastic happens causing Elec to leave and go back to California. They are both heart broken at the fact they will be separated. Even though Elec hasn’t been with the family for very long they formed a very strong bond that would last until they met again seven years later.


Years later they meet again under less then ideal circumstances. They have both done their best to move on and forget the love they once shared. Elec has a beautiful girlfriend, and has gotten his life under control, having a stable job and apartment back in California. Greta lives in New York content with life and the job she has, but feels like she is missing something from her life.

That something would be Elec. I’ve read some reviews where people don’t understand why Greta still can’t get over the fact that Elec left her when they had such a deep connection. That’s the thing! They have a deep connection, such a deep bond that seven years down the road they still haven’t been able to fully move on from one another. [spoiler] Elec tries to go back for Greta at one point, but he see’s that she is with her fiancee and looks happy. [/spoiler] If better communication happened I feel like that could have been avoided.

There’s a lot of drama in the last portion of the book which had me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. It’s clear that even though seven years have passed there is still so much sexual tension between the two of them. They manage to not act on any of their feelings despite desperately wanting to.


The only thing I don’t understand is why reviewers are saying that there is cheating in the book. Because they only thing I saw that constituted as cheating was [spoiler] when Elec once again had to leave Greta to go back to his SO, he gives her a kiss goodbye at the airport. It’s not a chaste kiss, but more of a final kiss. Their final goodbye [/spoiler] That doesn’t constitute cheating in my book especially because Elec [spoiler] realizes he can’t live without Greta and breaks up with his girlfriend [/spoiler]

Everything wraps up wonderfully which made me happy. If there was ever another book about this couple I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it in a heart beat.

[Cocktails and Books]

Absolutely blown away by Greta and Elec's story. Angsty, emotional, hot ass bad boy romance at it's best.