Review: Beard With Me by Penny Reid

Beard With Me is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story.

BEARD WITH ME by PENNY REID
Series: Winston Brothers 5.5

Publication date: September 16, 2019

Genre: general fiction

 

SYNOPSIS

No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching.

Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart . . . except when it comes to Billy Winston.

No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances—because nothing is beyond his control—is Billy’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, he’d be the first person on earth to lead others to safety, overcome catastrophe, or die trying.

Billy is fearless, Billy is disciplined, and Billy is honorable . . . except when it comes to Scarlet St. Claire.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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REVIEW

Beard with Me by Penny Reid
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


After finishing Beard With Me, I struggled with my feelings but decided to go with four stars. I wanted to give four stars very badly because in some ways I enjoyed my time back in Green Valley very much. It really kills me to admit to myself that for me, I liked it overall, but didn't love it. So I've adjusted to a more accurate 3.5 stars.

My anticipation level was off the charts for Billy and Claire's backstory ever since book one in the Winston series. Those tortured looks across the room filled with pain and unresolved feelings...I was ready to discover where it all began. I wasn't particularly overjoyed at the thought of reading the tragedy and devastation that would somehow destroy their relationship, but I'm a big girl. I prepared the tissues and straightened my spine.

Witnessing some of the chaos that the Winstons' father created, their brokenness at the time, and Scarlett's intensely difficult life was truly upsetting and heartbreaking. In fact, after reading some of the events in this book, I don't believe I've despised a fictional character more than Darrell Winston. I thought I hated him before, but if fictional homicide were a thing he would have been incinerated by my death glare burning onto the page.

On the other side of the coin, getting some real time with Bethany Winston was a treasure. If there's one thing the Winston siblings unanimously agree on, it's how deeply their mother's wisdom and love profoundly affected their life. Her kind and gentle spirit, her generosity and pureness of heart imbued each and every one of them with admirable character as they grew into adulthood. Any woman could have grown bitter and angry at having to struggle so hard as a single mother, or having to overcome the physical and mental abuse their husband inflicted on the entire family, but she remained strong when her children needed her. I savored every scene with Bethany and I think all fans of the series will as well.

Scarlet St. Claire (or Claire McClure as she's known in the other Winston books) is a survivor who has been conditioned to believe good things don't happen to girls like her. Her home life growing up amidst the criminals in her father's MC is not only miserable, it's dangerous. She's learned from an early age that the only person she has to depend on in life is herself. She's either ignored, pitied, or ridiculed for her grubby appearance and "belonging" to the Iron Wraiths. So she erects a protective shield around herself and lives one day at a time waiting for the next disaster to strike.

    Sure, people might pity kids like Carla and me, but they didn’t ever actually care about us. Pity was not compassion. I understood that, I got it.

Billy is overwhelmed with work, school, football, and struggling to hold the frayed threads of his family together. Pulled in a million different directions, his responsibilities have influenced his surly, closed-off attitude. Inside, he's hurting badly but unwilling to lay his burden on anyone. He's also somewhat of a jerk for his judgement of Scarlet and his inability to see her as an individual in dire need of help. It takes some gentle nudging and exposure to the proud and resilient girl before his hardened heart starts to crack. I loved how Billy and Scarlet's friendship and feelings for one another matured through their mutual interest in music. His awe at her hidden talent for singing and their music lessons were the absolute sweetest.

    Scarlet and her voice were the same. Momentous, incredible, and unheard.

Here's what didn't entirely work for me. Ben's attraction to Scarlet, and his mixed signals even after discovering he was mistaken about her age. Due to the fact that he's a fully grown man in his first year of college, I admit it didn't sit right with me that he was behaving this way with her. I can't even imagine someone his age being attracted to a sophomore in high school, let alone someone who should be a freshman. She may be older than her age in experience and hardship, but the fact remains that she is a fourteen-year-old girl. So additionally, the scenes where she and Billy are struggling to control their lust were not doing it for me. I'm all for some kissing and a soul-deep emotional connection, but the sexual fantasies she was having felt unnecessary. The other thing was that the characters' voices did not have a strong enough young adult feeling. Some of the inner dialogue especially gives you the experience of a new adult or full adult book. But that's just my personal subjective opinion and maybe you'll completely disagree.

In summary, for any fan of the Winston Brothers series, I'd still highly recommend reading the intro to Billy and Scarlet/Claire's second chance romance, Beard Necessities. Yes, there are some difficult sections to read that will cause some heartache, but I think it's important to understand the full scope of what they went through in order to find their HEA. It's not absolutely necessary, but I believe it will enhance your experience to read both parts. I'm eager to read their reconnection with all of the angst and healing it promises to hold.

    It felt like bleeding and making no effort to cauterize the wound. It felt close to madness. I knew, with absolutely certainty, I’d dream of her and her spirit and her voice for the rest of my life. The belief was soul deep, in my bones and muscles and skin, but particularly in my heart.

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