Gemini Paperback – May 23, 2013

Gemini by Penelope WardReview by Hetty, BestSellers & BestStellars of RomanceI found this sparkling jewel for free on Amazon and immediately snatched it up because it sounded like a novel I would really enjoy. My instinct proved to be right!Do you feel like a new person today, Gemini? Something has grown back, and unless you're a reptile with a new tail... that probably means that some part of your soul has woken up from a deep sleep.Gemini was simply delightful. From start to finish, I was captivated by the thrilling yet easy-going content. Allison and Cedric meet right away so the tension, desire, and anticipation build instantly. Cedric (also known as Mr. Blue Eyes) takes Allison's breath away. This handsome stranger strolls into the diner she works at and awakens her desire. The past year had been extremely difficult for Allison and Cedric's appearance is a much needed distraction. Allison immediately feels a pull to Cedric but he dashes out of the diner before she gets a chance to really talk to him.Every day in life, people we will likely never encounter a second time, pass us by. For some unknown reason, I just couldn't accept that he was one of them. ~AllisonCedric has an enormous secret that he's keeping and it is looming over him. Bits and pieces are slowly revealed to keep anticipation and interest raised. This unknown reason for Cedric's original interest in Allison truly drives the story. I really, REALLY wanted to know! He is very worried about Allison finding out because he knows she will no longer have interest in him. This is heartbreaking for him because he cares so much about her but cannot completely open up to her with this secret weighing down on him. Cedric is very conflicted...No other woman, not even the one I had considered my first love, had ever made me feel like that. ~CedricWhen the Allison discovers the truth, the story goes in a different direction. I always appreciate a perfectly placed twist in a story. Can you imagine finding out that the life you thought you knew had been missing a huge piece all along? She embarks on a journey full of grief, healing, and understanding. Will Allison be able to forgive and find her way back to Cedric's arms?It sounds cliché, but I really think I experienced love at first sight. I wanted to be with her and wanted her to see me for me. ~CedricI loved this novel! One of my favorite things is finding a hidden gem in the Amazon free pile and this one was STELLAR! The alternating points of view were fabulous and we get inside Allison and Cedric's mind throughout. The astrology component was interesting and played into the story very well. I really liked the horoscopes at the beginning of each chapter.Wonderful job Penelope Ward! I look forward to reading more of your novels in the future.5 Diamond Rating

Gemini by Penelope WardSeries: Standalone (Companion Novel - Jake Undone)Genre: Contemporary RomanceAge Group: New AdultPOV: Dual, First PersonRelease Date: May 24th 2013Print Length: 328 pagesSteam Rating: ScorcherOverall Rating: 4.5 STARSReview:I downloaded this book back when it was first released as a freebie. It was only free for a few days and a ton of people downloaded it and read and loved it. I kept hearing that there was this big "shock" or "surprise" in it that you'll never see coming and it made me want to dig in immediately. But time constraints have made it hard, and as you know TBR lists are long. So I signed up for the Blog Tour for the companion novel Jake Undone and I wanted to read this one first. Both books are standalones but I am thinking if you read Jake Undone first it may spoil the big shocker in Gemini.The one thing that stood out the most in Gemini was it uniqueness. The storyline and the main characters were not your "average" New Adult and it was refreshing. The main characters were so "normal" and their upbringing was pretty "normal" too. There was no traumatic childhoods or demon's stemming from this period. And it didn't need that to be interesting and keep me wanting more.Cedric is your average thirty-something guy (well his looks aren't average) he grew up in a middle-class stable family with good moral and values. "Something" happened to him when he was a senior in college which has forever changed him. We are given small clues as to what this may be but we don't find out until later in the book. Was I shocked, unfortunately no. I really wanted to be but I felt like the clues were all there early on and I just so happened to guess right. So I think if you don't try and figure it out (impossible right?) then you may be more surprised than I was. Even so it kept me on the edge of my seat, and no it was not predictable--I just figured out the secret, not how everything would pan out.Allison is in her mid-twenties and also had a stable upbringing. She was adopted as a baby by a single professional woman who loved and cherished her dearly until she died about a year before the novel begins. She meets Cedric while working as a waitress at a diner and they feel an immediate attraction to each other. Now if you're the type of person who hates insta-love don't worry, although they have an instant connection things progress slowly and most of the novel takes place over about a year. I absolutely LOVED them together and was rooting for them to have their HEA from very early on. But it would not come easy for them.And I would not be doing this novel justice if I did not mention the unbelievable chemistry between Cedric and Allison. It was smokin hot but tender and emotional at the same time. I mean I FELT their chemistry deeply.Quote:My draw to Allison is not a choice. It's a completely uncontrollable pull that won't go away, despite the consequences of acting on it.And the sex was HOT and beautiful ;)Quote:"I love...this...being inside you. You're the most beautiful woman in the world,"But most of all I fell in love with Cedric--his gentle nature, protectiveness, and overall perfectness.Quote:"I'm not the type of guy who can give my heart to someone twice. You are the only woman who has ever claimed it. It's yours forever, take it or leave it."If I had to critique anything it would be the use of overly descriptive statements that were slightly crass, which I don't usually mind but felt a little out of place in this otherwise "non-crass" novel. An example of this is how the heroine's inner monologue consisted of how her armpits were getting sweaty in the presence of Cedric (she thought this more than once). But most of the time her inner monologue was fine, and at times LOL funny--overall I really liked her, thought she was a genuine person, and connected with her.I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the New Adult genre, especially if you feel bored with it because this one is unique--but still has the NA feel.~StacyHggBooks Unhinged Book BlogFormat: KindleSource: Free on Amazon (no longer free)Review Date: November 4th 2013

Dos quatro que li dela até agora, o mais fraco. Infantil e imaturo - a história é interessante, mas mal desenvolvida e muita coisa achei incoerente . Nem se comparam com Amor Imenso, Stepbrother e MacDaddy (esse também, chatinho).

Un altro bel racconto della Ward. Bella la storia raccontata dai due punti di vista dei protagonisti, all'inizio potrebbe sembrare ripetitiva, invece no, anzi è possibile scoprire cosa provano e pensano Cedric e Allison su ciò che accade. Brava l'autrice anche nel descrivere l'autenticità dei sentimenti di Cedric. Appena rivelato il "segreto" di lui si può essere indotti a pensare che per lui Allison sia un "ripiego" invece la storia è ben sviluppata e l'impasse superato senza strattoni.

Gemini had me from page one! I couldn't put this book down at all and now I have the worst book hangover. Loved both Cedric and Allison and my heart broke for both. I cried at certain parts (always a good sign in a book) and was on the edge of my seat waiting for what Cedric was hiding. I knew it was something about her past but I didn't expect it to be what it was (don't want to give anything away). I experienced something no book has ever done for me....I got chills! LOVED IT and am so glad I read this. It was so emotional and had so much heartache but I loved the ending. I would love to read more from this author

I just want to say, that the reviews on amazon.com are right.Gemini is a wonderful - very emotional - love story!The charakters and the story line are well written.I promise, you`ll sympathise with Allison and Cedricthrough the whole book.

Allison Abraham was adopted by a wonderful lady. She had a happy life until a year or so ago when her mother died. Wanting to save money for tuition she works in a diner. Each day, Allison reads her horoscope, her star sign is Gemini.One day at work a handsome man with blue eyes comes into the diner and Allison is instantly smitten but after a short time he suddenly gets up and leaves having left behind a huge tip of 50 dollars. Allison can't stop thinking about the handsome stranger. She confides in her roomate Sonia (who is British for some reason but sounds American!) about him. Sonia also works at the diner.Cedric Callahan wasn't expecting to fall in love at first sight with the pretty waitress he had set out to find. In fact, she was the last woman on Earth he should be having feelings for. Unable to stop thinking about her, a few weeks later he returns to the diner but she's not working that day. Disappointed, he is not thinking clearly when he pays with his credit card but forgets to pick it up when he leaves. Sonia is working that day and recognises him straightaway as Allison's 'Mr Blue Eyes'! when she realises he has left his card behind she gets his details including his phone number and calls Allison to tell her to get to the diner, call him and wait for him to come and collect his card.Once Cedric hears the phone message from Allison he has to make some decisions. He has a girlfriend but he doesn't feel strongly about her. He goes to meet Allison and the attraction between them ignites. What follows is a really wonderful love story but not only a love story, the main story of this book is quite intriguing. We know Cedric is hiding something from Allison and it keeps you turning the pages waiting to find out. Once his secret is out, there is still plenty of story left. The pacing of the story is very good and I never felt bored reading it.The plot is not perfect but it didn't detract from what a wonderful imaginative story this was. For a first time author, I'm impressed with Penelope Ward. She states in her bio she has an autistic daughter. This story features some autistic characters. I have never read that in a book before so it was a refreshing change and a good way to highlight autism.Cedric is not perfect but I liked him and felt for what he was going through. I liked Allison. They are both in their 30's, but at times it did feel like Allison was maybe a younger character. All the characters are well written. I am intrigued to one day get Jake's story in a book by this authorI downloaded this for free but I would glady have paid and I look forward to reading more from this author. A very impressive debut.