Repeat

W.O.W. Kylie Scott has left me speechless with Repeat. She successfully made me connect with the characters at a deep personal level. I didn't feel it was just a story or the persons are fictional. Clem and Ed's larger than life love story felt as real as my next breath or next heartbeat.Clem has been under attack by a random person and she had a grave head injury. And she woke up with complete amnesia. She doesn't remember anything about who she is. And she feels her ex boyfriend Ed Larsen would have some very important answers. But their break up was messy and brutal to extreme level. Can they really reconnect? Clem has tons of issues to work out. And it appears she isn't out of danger yet.The whole concept was really interesting. The romance and emotional bond between Clem and Ed played a central role. But it was so much more than that. It was about second chances, changing and rediscovering self. How exciting and terrifying would it be to start the life on a clean slate! The author went through every little scary exhilarating steps of Clem's journey. Ed's character was the perfect mix of charm, edge, protectiveness and sexy attitude. I am just amazed how he helped Clem in every way. The secondary characters hold pieces of the puzzle and it was brilliantly plotted. The twists, the heartbreaks, the dreamy moments..everything was just perfect.Some love stories go beyond simple romance. They are awe-inspiring spiritual journeys. Repeat by Kylie Scott is a perfect example. The love, the challenges, the struggles and the triumph of life was brought together by the author's exceptional masterful writing!Received ARC for Honest Review

Why...why did I forget about this author and the lovely way she weaves a story. I needed a second chance romance for a reader's challenge and a friend suggested this book. Oh my, the challenges this poor Clementine is facing. I can't imagine the confusion and heartache she faces daily. And Ed...what a good human to take her on after such an ugly break-up. I loved watching them fall in love and see the drama with it. A great love story with mystery.

Really a great read, as usual Kylie Scott delivers.

Kylie Scott is one of my favorite authors except when she's not. Mostly she's great, but occasionally she produces an absolute dud (to me at any rate.) Since amnesia appeared to be the driving plot device in Repeat, I was understandably hesitant to jump into this book. However, Clem's narrative voice seemed so authentic and free of extraneous drama that I was immediately drawn into her story and invested in her HEA. Scott is one author that I trust to do first person present tense well, and she didn't let me down.Clem is recovering from an attack that's left her with physical scarring and traumatic retrograde amnesia. She can function on a practical level, but her memories of people, places, and emotions are gone. She handles this by treating her current self as a new person just learning the world, and the new Clem interacts with her world through zero filters. She's in continual learning mode, so she doesn't hold back with anyone. This version of Clem is occasionally disconcerting to the people in her life (most notably her ex, Ed, and her sister, Frances) but is extremely appealing to the reader.Since their break-up was pretty horrible for both of them, Ed's response to Clem's reappearance in his life is, unsurprisingly, furious rejection. She, on the other hand, is on a purely fact-finding mission without the burden of negative baggage. Their first interaction is brief and somewhat brutal, but Scott does an outstanding job of piecing together their past and a new present through a series of believable encounters. She gradually reveals the pluses and minuses of their old relationship while leaving the cause of their final blow up obscure.Ed, tasty tattoo artist that he is, is an excellent argument for a TGTBT (too good to be true) designation for heroes & heroines. I mean if we can call a character TSTL, why not? And Ed is adorable even in his initial crankiness. Something about the tatted badboy prettiness disguising the dog-loving solid citizen just appeals. However, as he and Clem become reacquainted, Scott subtly reveals the character traits of each that contributed to their eventual parting. She also builds a slow burn that eventually ignites some seriously hot and exlicit love scenes.One of the many excellences of this novel is the solid research that seamlessly shores up the details of the story. Clem struggles with realistic consequences of her injury, both physical and emotional. She works to overcome her issues without turning into some faux superwoman. While the tattoo studio and the process of tattooing do not occupy a huge chunk of the story, the minor details support the overall believability of the world building. I love this type of detail, and Scott almost always gets it right. (I say almost only because I'm uneasy with absolutes.)Along with the yummy second chance at love story, there is a slowly developed suspense subplot. While the sense of impending danger is well crafted, the villain wasn't that difficult to figure out. The clues were unsubtle, and sadly, the potential bad guys might as well have held up signs that said "Pick me!" The love story wound up when the mystery was resolved which made the ending seem a bit over-dramatic and rushed. I could have done with a chapter or two more of Clem and Ed adulting but that's just me.I think that a little more character development and fewer baseless clues relating to the villain's identity would have made this a five star read, but despite this small flaw, I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent getting to know Clem and Ed as well as their family and friends. Furthermore, I hope to meet up with them all again in future books by Kylie Scott.

Clementine has amnesia after being the victim of assault. Don’t let this trope fool you- this is written in such a believable way in Repeat. Clem is freshly out of the hospital, living with her sister, and trying to adjust to a new, blank slate life with no memories of her past. She happens upon her ex-boyfriend as she tries to gain some insight into who she was before the attack. Ed is NOT happy to see her.We learn clues about Clem’s old life through the stories she’s told by the people who knew her and through all the nonverbal cues that tell us far more than their words do. There is a mystery swirling through the story, revealed slowly, about why Clem left the amazing and wonderful Ed. Also as the story unfolds, we learn more about both the old and new Clem and how she impacts the world around her.Ed is just plain hot. (That cover is beautiful- just like the man.) He’s a tattoo artist, funny, caring, and the kind of guy no woman would leave. Just like new Clem, we wonder why she did. His interactions with Clem are all over the map. He starts off hot and cold, remote and angry. He’s clearly bitter but too good of a guy to be vindictive. We want Ed to let go and open his arms to Clem. But we see that he was very hurt by her, and just like new Clem and the reader, he has no idea why.Clem is awesome. She’s funny, super resilient, a bit vulnerable, and determined. Clem has an awful lot. She’s recovering from a serious injury and she keeps walking into land mines every time she seeks answers about the past. It’s impossible not to root for her as she does her best to carry forward and navigate the blooming feelings she feels for a man she hurt badly. I love her friendships. Her exchanges with older bookstore lady Iris and even the grumpy, suspicious Tessa are laugh out loud funny.It becomes increasingly clear that whoever hurt Clem might still be dangerous. This keeps things interesting, as we experience a hint of danger along with a budding love story and an overarching tale about a woman recovering from serious brain damage.The idea of amnesia second chance love could have easily pushed this story into unbelievable/cliche territory. Instead, Repeat is a great, fast paced story with the added depth of unusual circumstance. I definitely recommend it!

Totally enjoyed this book. Second chances are the best. Ed and Clem were definitely made for each other. Drama. Super hot scenes. Perfect HEA. Kudos!