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booklovershangout's review against another edition
4.0
This book made me so happy. I was beyond excited that there would be another book in this series. It was absolutely perfect and I could not have asked for a better ending or story. It was beautiful and the storytelling was so engaging. I could not put this book down and I am so dying to read more from Kandi already. I can't wait to see what she writes next.
rihoward's review against another edition
4.0
4.4 stars
I have wanted Reece to have his own story since the duet. There was just something about him that made my heart hurt at the thought of him not getting it. I'm glad that He got that HEA through Music and Sarah.
This story covered a pretty painful topic and showed how music can become an outlet for healing even while being the very cause of the pain.
This is a great book for anyone needing a book filled with angst, love, and hope.
I have wanted Reece to have his own story since the duet. There was just something about him that made my heart hurt at the thought of him not getting it. I'm glad that He got that HEA through Music and Sarah.
This story covered a pretty painful topic and showed how music can become an outlet for healing even while being the very cause of the pain.
This is a great book for anyone needing a book filled with angst, love, and hope.
t_white51's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What He Never Knew - Kandi Steiner
Best Kept Secrets Book 3
READ BY JASON CLARKE AND MIA MADISON
The narrators both did an amazing job!
My Review:
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice: 🌶🌶
Pages: 397
Genre: Romance
Tropes: interracial Romance, Teacher/Student, Age Gap
Reese, a trained pianist muchly sought after teacher who has his heart on ice determined a relationship and love are not in the cards for him
Sarah, his 21 year old new student who has gone through trauma no woman should have to go through has totally reinvented herself. Dressing to make herself invisible and with a tight rein on her emotions…existing but not actually living.
They in the process of lessons recognize the pain each is carrying and it creates a bond that allows them to gradually open up to each other. He is the first person she has confessed her trauma to as she is the first he’s confessed his to.
In a slow journey filled with stumbling blocks they try to find their way back to the living and discover they both have hope.
This book is emotional and obviously deeply researched. It will have you in tears for them both as they battle to overcome.
Kandi has a way of writing very emotional books that pull at your heart strings. I highly recommend this book and every other book she’s written.
#booktok #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammer #bookish #reading #bookworm #readersofinstagram #bookreview #bookaddict #bookshelf #bookcommunity #read #bibliophile #booksofinstagram #bookblogger #romance #fantasy #kandisteiner #whatheneverknew #bestkeptsecrets
joliemills's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 stars
i did tear up a lil
i did tear up a lil
suzyq436's review against another edition
4.0
Better than I expected.
The writing is beautiful!
I took off a star because of the third act conflict.
It was juvenile and contrasted with Sarah's character arc.
The writing is beautiful!
I took off a star because of the third act conflict.
It was juvenile and contrasted with Sarah's character arc.
nadine_booklover's review against another edition
5.0
"We are all just humans who want to feel like we're not alone, even when we are."
No matter how I start this review and no matter what words will follow, I can't do this book any justice. It came, it saw and it conquered: My mind, my heart, my soul.
"Sarah was an unstoppable force, like a Category 5 hurricane, and we'd all just been wrecked by her power."
What He Never Knew is incredibly touching, moving, real. Since IEWU by C. Hoover in 2016, a story that shook my bones to the core, no book after was able to rip me apart on such an intense level. Until now. Don't get me wrong, I've read wonderful soul-touching and soul-crushing books in the meantime, but the way this book here touched me, my soul, my heart and my mind is like finding a pearl in a natural oyster.
"His lips were the softest command, smooth like rose petals, yet powerful enough to bend me in a silent plea to submit."
As much as I wished to read this beautiful book in one sitting. I had to take my time. Not only because I wanted to prolong the time with the characters as much as possible but also because the story wore my out heavily. It holds a weight that's hard to carry. I needed breaks to distance myself, to let myself breathe again, not realizing I held my breath while reading.
"Reese had given me my dream kiss, a kiss I'd dreamed about, one I wasn't sure could ever be reality."
Sarah and Reese are raw gems and Kandi Steiner was able to grind and shape those characters into the most beautiful diamonds. Even their scars are visible as pretty inclusions, that make them unique and outstanding.
"She looked happy and free, and it was my favorite way to see her."
Reading about these soulful characters, beautifully and tragically broken by life, feeling their connection and how they help each other heal, together with the power of music is a reading experience you won't ever forget.
"Her pain was palpable, and it bled into me like ink on paper, spreading over me in a way that would permanently change me forever."
This book had my mind, my soul my stomach in a constant knot. My eyes were heavy and puffy when I turned the last page. It moved me on a level I thought not possible. THAT book right here is the reason why I love to read. Why I fell in love with romance books. Emotions spilling all over the pages. A reading experience beyond comparison.
"She was the light I never thought I'd see again, the purpose I thought I'd lost forever."
While writing this review I still have to fight tears and it's hard to swallow. All the feelings that bubble up are hard to contain. And as soon as I finish this review, I won't. Thank you Kandi Steiner for giving me all the feels, for showing I am enough, for letting me know it's ok to feel and it's ok to fall in love, to be vulnerable and to trust, even if that means I might get hurt. But as long as I feel, I live and as long as I live, I can follow my dreams.
"Nothing about us made sense, and yet, there was no other possibility."
No matter how I start this review and no matter what words will follow, I can't do this book any justice. It came, it saw and it conquered: My mind, my heart, my soul.
"Sarah was an unstoppable force, like a Category 5 hurricane, and we'd all just been wrecked by her power."
What He Never Knew is incredibly touching, moving, real. Since IEWU by C. Hoover in 2016, a story that shook my bones to the core, no book after was able to rip me apart on such an intense level. Until now. Don't get me wrong, I've read wonderful soul-touching and soul-crushing books in the meantime, but the way this book here touched me, my soul, my heart and my mind is like finding a pearl in a natural oyster.
"His lips were the softest command, smooth like rose petals, yet powerful enough to bend me in a silent plea to submit."
As much as I wished to read this beautiful book in one sitting. I had to take my time. Not only because I wanted to prolong the time with the characters as much as possible but also because the story wore my out heavily. It holds a weight that's hard to carry. I needed breaks to distance myself, to let myself breathe again, not realizing I held my breath while reading.
"Reese had given me my dream kiss, a kiss I'd dreamed about, one I wasn't sure could ever be reality."
Sarah and Reese are raw gems and Kandi Steiner was able to grind and shape those characters into the most beautiful diamonds. Even their scars are visible as pretty inclusions, that make them unique and outstanding.
"She looked happy and free, and it was my favorite way to see her."
Reading about these soulful characters, beautifully and tragically broken by life, feeling their connection and how they help each other heal, together with the power of music is a reading experience you won't ever forget.
"Her pain was palpable, and it bled into me like ink on paper, spreading over me in a way that would permanently change me forever."
This book had my mind, my soul my stomach in a constant knot. My eyes were heavy and puffy when I turned the last page. It moved me on a level I thought not possible. THAT book right here is the reason why I love to read. Why I fell in love with romance books. Emotions spilling all over the pages. A reading experience beyond comparison.
"She was the light I never thought I'd see again, the purpose I thought I'd lost forever."
While writing this review I still have to fight tears and it's hard to swallow. All the feelings that bubble up are hard to contain. And as soon as I finish this review, I won't. Thank you Kandi Steiner for giving me all the feels, for showing I am enough, for letting me know it's ok to feel and it's ok to fall in love, to be vulnerable and to trust, even if that means I might get hurt. But as long as I feel, I live and as long as I live, I can follow my dreams.
"Nothing about us made sense, and yet, there was no other possibility."
kaydanielsromance's review against another edition
5.0
Unlike a lot of readers, I did not read the What He Doesn't Know duet leading into this book and I actually think I'm grateful for that.
Let me explain. Before I purchase anything I always read reviews; first because I find them helpful, second for the pure enjoyment of reading ones that are witty or insightful or for information on assembly. Have you ever noticed that assembly manuals are almost worthless when you buy something that requires lots of parts and tools? You actually have better luck finding information on YouTube or by reading reviews than by reading the manual that came with your new product. Yes, I read the manuals too. I basically read everything.
Anway...after I sat and wrote my review for What He Never Knew, yes, I actually hand write my reviews first before retyping them. FYI, they drastically change by the time it lands here, but at least by hand writing them first it helps me gather my thoughts.
So, as I was saying, I went to post my review on Goodreads and saw there was a duet prior to this book (I actually didn't know that). When I began reading the book, I suspected there might have been a story leading into this one, but honestly Kandi Steiner never once made me pause and question what was going on. She wove a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story about two broken people and the foundation was all there. Her tragic story about Reese and Sarah drew me in right from the beginning and so many times I wondered if healing was what they needed from each other instead of falling in love. It was magic to watch their scars heal up and then when Reese and Sarah reached the tipping point when they were actually ready to make that next step. It wasn't rushed or strained, it was actually quite lovely, so perfectly right, I would say Kandi Steiner is the queen of crafting a difficult story into beautiful moments.
For those who didn't read the duet, like myself, know Reese does open up and tell his story in this book. So reading the duet prior to this one isn't a requirement. What He Never Knew is a complete standalone.
Reese Walker is a broken man, in love with a woman he can never have. A married woman. His best friends sister. She's having a family, she's happy and she has moved on. Reese wakes up, goes to work, sees her, loves her from afar, goes home to an empty house, goes to sleeps, next day repeat. He hasn't moved on. What's the point. He's already met the woman he was supposed to love and she doesn't love him back, he might as well resign himself to that knowledge and know his life is what it is.
That is until he meets Sarah Henderson. She is the first person to bring sunshine back into his days. She is the first person to bring meaning back to his piano playing. She is the first person to get his thinking off the girl he can't have. She is everything he thought he couldn't have. Although, he really can't have her either. Sarah is his student. She isn't exactly available. Why does he always desire someone he can't have? Why can't he just be happy?
"I've never been one to gravitate toward the things that were best for me in my life."-Reese Walker
As for Sarah, I will warn, if you suffer from PTSD and are triggered by by the mention of rape in any form this book may not be for you. Now Kandi Steiner doesn't go into detail by any means, but the aftermath, the fallout, the guilt, the emotional trauma, everything that goes hand in hand with the horrible act is there written in black and white. I have never been through such a life changing event, but Steiner put me there empathically, emotionally, physically. I ached for Sarah everytime she relieved it.
Her abuse, along with an injury caused from her abuser, sets her back on her journey to becoming a concert pianist. She seeks out Reese Walker to mentor her on the road to play at Carnegie Hall. A lofty goal, but one she's had her entire life. Sarah is very talented, but she has a huge emotional hurdle to jump. She has to learn to love the piano again and not associate the thing she loves with the abuse she received.
For both Reese and Sarah, they are actually perfect for each other, but in reality they have a mountain to climb before they are actually good for each other.
Reese has given up hope, looking at himself as a washed up old man teaching to children who have loftier dreams than himself. However, Sarah looks at him with great potential and constantly reminds him that he is never too old to dream. On the other hand, Sarah who has been told her entire life she is never good enough, is filled with fire and loves proving people wrong. It is this tenacity that Reese discovers and admires in her. He knows she has the willpower to make it to New York now he just has to get her to believe in herself and find her passion to play once again.
These two passionate people made me ache for their pain. Artists in general are known for their deep wells of self-torture and that's typically when they create the most beautiful and artistic pieces. Know this book will rip you to shreds, the music, at times, may sound harsh, but in the end Kandi Steiner creates a gorgeous, well orchestrated symphony.
"We're artists. We're musicians. We're...We're not destined to run from our misery, we're destined to bathe in it - and to somehow find a way to make it beautiful." Reese Walker
Let me explain. Before I purchase anything I always read reviews; first because I find them helpful, second for the pure enjoyment of reading ones that are witty or insightful or for information on assembly. Have you ever noticed that assembly manuals are almost worthless when you buy something that requires lots of parts and tools? You actually have better luck finding information on YouTube or by reading reviews than by reading the manual that came with your new product. Yes, I read the manuals too. I basically read everything.
Anway...after I sat and wrote my review for What He Never Knew, yes, I actually hand write my reviews first before retyping them. FYI, they drastically change by the time it lands here, but at least by hand writing them first it helps me gather my thoughts.
So, as I was saying, I went to post my review on Goodreads and saw there was a duet prior to this book (I actually didn't know that). When I began reading the book, I suspected there might have been a story leading into this one, but honestly Kandi Steiner never once made me pause and question what was going on. She wove a beautiful, yet heartbreaking story about two broken people and the foundation was all there. Her tragic story about Reese and Sarah drew me in right from the beginning and so many times I wondered if healing was what they needed from each other instead of falling in love. It was magic to watch their scars heal up and then when Reese and Sarah reached the tipping point when they were actually ready to make that next step. It wasn't rushed or strained, it was actually quite lovely, so perfectly right, I would say Kandi Steiner is the queen of crafting a difficult story into beautiful moments.
For those who didn't read the duet, like myself, know Reese does open up and tell his story in this book. So reading the duet prior to this one isn't a requirement. What He Never Knew is a complete standalone.
Reese Walker is a broken man, in love with a woman he can never have. A married woman. His best friends sister. She's having a family, she's happy and she has moved on. Reese wakes up, goes to work, sees her, loves her from afar, goes home to an empty house, goes to sleeps, next day repeat. He hasn't moved on. What's the point. He's already met the woman he was supposed to love and she doesn't love him back, he might as well resign himself to that knowledge and know his life is what it is.
That is until he meets Sarah Henderson. She is the first person to bring sunshine back into his days. She is the first person to bring meaning back to his piano playing. She is the first person to get his thinking off the girl he can't have. She is everything he thought he couldn't have. Although, he really can't have her either. Sarah is his student. She isn't exactly available. Why does he always desire someone he can't have? Why can't he just be happy?
"I've never been one to gravitate toward the things that were best for me in my life."-Reese Walker
As for Sarah, I will warn, if you suffer from PTSD and are triggered by by the mention of rape in any form this book may not be for you. Now Kandi Steiner doesn't go into detail by any means, but the aftermath, the fallout, the guilt, the emotional trauma, everything that goes hand in hand with the horrible act is there written in black and white. I have never been through such a life changing event, but Steiner put me there empathically, emotionally, physically. I ached for Sarah everytime she relieved it.
Her abuse, along with an injury caused from her abuser, sets her back on her journey to becoming a concert pianist. She seeks out Reese Walker to mentor her on the road to play at Carnegie Hall. A lofty goal, but one she's had her entire life. Sarah is very talented, but she has a huge emotional hurdle to jump. She has to learn to love the piano again and not associate the thing she loves with the abuse she received.
For both Reese and Sarah, they are actually perfect for each other, but in reality they have a mountain to climb before they are actually good for each other.
Reese has given up hope, looking at himself as a washed up old man teaching to children who have loftier dreams than himself. However, Sarah looks at him with great potential and constantly reminds him that he is never too old to dream. On the other hand, Sarah who has been told her entire life she is never good enough, is filled with fire and loves proving people wrong. It is this tenacity that Reese discovers and admires in her. He knows she has the willpower to make it to New York now he just has to get her to believe in herself and find her passion to play once again.
These two passionate people made me ache for their pain. Artists in general are known for their deep wells of self-torture and that's typically when they create the most beautiful and artistic pieces. Know this book will rip you to shreds, the music, at times, may sound harsh, but in the end Kandi Steiner creates a gorgeous, well orchestrated symphony.
"We're artists. We're musicians. We're...We're not destined to run from our misery, we're destined to bathe in it - and to somehow find a way to make it beautiful." Reese Walker
jenthebookfish's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
God, I love Reese