Description
Pen Pal Geissinger, J.T. 9798985316834: : Books
Pen Pal Geissinger, J.T. 9798985316834: : Books
$15.00
Additional information
| ASIN : | B0B92FZRHZ |
|---|---|
| Publisher : | J.T. Geissinger Inc. (August 12, 2022) |
| Language : | English |
| Paperback : | 318 pages |
| ISBN-13 : | 979-8985316834 |
| Item Weight : | 1.06 pounds |
| Dimensions : | 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches |
| Best Sellers Rank: | #832 in Suspense Thrillers |
| Customer Reviews: | 6,356 ratings |
10 reviews for Pen Pal Geissinger, J.T. 9798985316834: : Books
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C Jones –
This novel is a standalone psychological thriller, so said the purchase page. It is also a romance. It is a different sort of both genres. Some won’t think it is a romance, but it is. It is just a very dark romance.NO SPOILERS (I hope) Kayla is existing in shocking grief and despair from the death of her husband a couple of weeks ago. She is suffering massive headaches and even spotty memory blackouts. Then she gets a letter from Dante, a man in prison, who simply says he’ll wait for her forever. She has no idea who Dante is, but writes back. A correspondence begins, but in each letter she remains confused because she still doesn’t know him or why he is writing to her–or why she is writing back.Her house needs repairs and she wants to hire a contractor to fix a major roof leak. Aidan is the one who comes to quote the job. She is drawn to him. And so begins what she considers technically an affair, but she cannot stop herself from being with him. There are other characters in the book, but none are fully fleshed out. That is fine, they didn’t need to be and the book would have been worse if they had been.This story is so full of passion and love, but yet this sense of depression and despair. It is intensely emotional and painful to read, but I couldn’t stop. I won’t forget this tale. I can’t really write more because then I would leave spoilers of some sort, which would really be a big injustice to the author and reader. Instead I will leave a tip: Read this when you will not be interrupted. If you like it as much as I did, you won’t be able to stop until it’s read through. And this one is worth more than one read, so be prepared for that, too.
Alicia –
I first discover JT Geissinger from her Queens and Monsters series and was instantly hooked on her artful, yet humorous storytelling style; however, this story is something else entirely. As a fan of any type of dark romantic fiction, I chose to go in blind and was NOT disappointed. This story starts off on a very somber note, with our main character Kayla attending a funeral. While Kayla is in mourning, she is forced to deal with not only a house that is falling apart around her, but inexplicable cold spots in her home, loud noises, and odors that seemingly have no point of origin. On top of all of this, her lapses in memory and letter addressed to her from the mysterious Dante begin to make her question her sanity. Even though Kayla is certain that she doesn’t know anyone confined within a penitentiary her new pen pal Dante assures her that they are acquainted. As Kayla attempts to have her crumbling home fixed, she contacts local contractor Aidan. After fighting guilt and attraction for Aidan after her perceived betrayal of her husband’s memory, Kayla and Aidan embark upon a passionate exploration of their budding romance and HOLY HOTNESS!!! Their love scenes nearly melted my IPad. Their chemistry was absolutely amazing. You as the reader are rooting for their happily ever after and you WANT Kayla to let go of the past until you get to THOSE scenes…those scenes ripped my heart out before the final scenes stitched me back up and wove me back together. Any book by JT Geissinger will be a one-click purchase from me. I will buy this audiobook as well when it is released because all of her books’ audio productions have been top-notch. Do yourselves a favor and buy this book.Side note: Its probably not often that people comment on the Acknowledgments section of a book, but a big thank you to Ms. Geissinger for sharing her heartfelt personal anecdote on loss. I’m certain that it resonated with many people, particularly considering the massive amount of loss that has occurred over the last few years. This book, as well as her anecdote serve as a reminder that perhaps we are not as alone as we might sometimes think we are.
EC –
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Spice: ???? ???? ? ????? ???????? ??? ??? ? ??????. ? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ?? ??????? ???????? ??????.I’ve been excited about this book since its announcement and I consumed it in a day. I’m a huge fan of the author’s work & she didn’t disappoint with this new standalone romantic thriller.There are some triggers for more sensitive readers, so make sure you check the author’s page.With no personal triggers, I went into this book utterly blind and I’m glad. Geissinger always does a phenomenal job in amping up suspense. I had no idea how the story was going to end, even until the last few chapters. That alone is a huge win for me!This book was not the conventional romance and frankly, it was unexpectedly refreshing. I personally love some mystery & trepidation in my spicy books, and wish more authors did it.Pen Pal had all the elements of a traditional romance with interactions consisting of flirtatious banter, the ??????? ?? ???? ??? ?ℎ??? interludes & of course the super-hot steamy scenes between passionate characters. (Aidan is ?? – probably one of her hottest characters to date)I noticed a few reviews stating the author shouldn’t have called it a “romance” because some readers expected a generic rendition of two people falling in love while overcoming obstacles & ending up together to ride off into the sunset. This is NOT that book. (Yes, it has a HEA)Pen Pal is a thrilling spin on the traditional setting and without a doubt ???? belong in the Romance genre, much like the very popular book, Verity by Colleen Hoover. (????? ??? ?????????? ?????????, ???? ????????? ??? ?????????, ?????? ????????????) This book is much more than just tenderhearted scenes & predictability, with very distinctive characters.As all of Geissinger’s books, Pen Pal is well written & you can tell she put an abundance of thought into the plot points to give the reader an unanticipated finale. It’s highly recommended. ?
Christina ( The MasqueReader ) –
It’s been 8 hours since I finished and I’m still shaken from this book! I wasn’t ready to move on yet so I dove right back in an hour ago and reread all my favorite parts! We won’t talk about how long it took to reread my favorite parts! PEN PAL is on my TOP TEN READS OF 2022 list! NO DOUBT!I’ve been slowly dying in this house the last three days with this book. I kept trying to slow myself down for fear of missing something so vital yet also rushing to the next page as quickly as I can because I needed EVERY LITTLE THING. I am still shaken from this book, these characters, this world…THIS AUTHOR! This is my second book that I’ve read by Geissinger and she’s completely blown my mind for the second time! I was completely engrossed in this story from the first words! The writing and plot twists kept me until the very end! Books like these are my absolute favorite! The books with amazing characters, exquisite writing and intriguing plots that keep not only my heart and emotions completely bewitched but also my mind engaged throughout 100% of the book.Just know that I fell in love very early on in this book. Smitten from first meeting and my heart just fell deeper and deeper with every single moment I got thereafter. The love story found within this book is simply stunning and extraordinary! The way that this one snagged my soul…I will never be the same after this book. Geissinger made me fall so deep in love with a character that my husband might accidentally get called the wrong name at some point. Whoops! Okay, seriously…TWO characters completely stole my heart while reading this book.I will NOT spoil anything! AT ALL!But I will say this one thing! THIS IS A DARK ROMANCE WITH THEMES THAT CAN BE TRIGGERING! IF you have any triggers and are worried about it, please do yourself a favor and read the author’s trigger warnings before you start.IF you have none and truly enjoy going in blind to a book and getting your mind completely ravaged by fantastically written books then I’d suggest going in blind to this one!
Dawn G –
This author is new-to-me, but I picked up this book because I saw a few people raving about it and how good it was. I kinda went in blind, meaning I didn’t read the blurb right before diving in (I had read it a week or so before I grabbed it, but didn’t remember what it was going to be about). I also stayed away from reading any kinds of reviews so I didn’t come across any spoilers. And I’m glad I did. I wouldn’t have wanted to know what this book was about because I probably wouldn’t have had the shock factor that I did. This book was definitely a page turner. It kept my interest from the beginning & I couldn’t wait to read more when I had the time to read. I almost brought my kindle out at a birthday party, but I refrained. LOL! It started out with a letter, a pen pal so to speak, from a penitentiary. That’s all I’m going to hint about because it’s in the blurb. This book had a heck of a lotta steam, but it was also a very intense book. Dark at times. It was 2:30am last night when the plot twist smacked me right in the face (and feels) and I was speechless. I couldn’t read fast enough, yet I didn’t want to miss anything. I needed to slow down, but I couldn’t. I was seriously blown away by what I just read. And then I couldn’t fall asleep. Thank goodness for energy drinks. LOL! J.T has a very crazy imagination but after reading the acknowledgment at the end, I kind of understood where her words came from. Still, she expanded her imagination to somewhere I could’ve never thought in a million years. I’ve honestly only read one book that blew me away like this one did, and that was Verity by Colleen Hoover. I’m absolutely going to check out J.T’s other books because she’s a fantastic author!
B. Roscoe –
It Is A Unique Take On Dante’s Classic The Divine Comedy. This Story Has A Lot Of Steam, But There Is So Much More To It.This story is inspired by a character in book three of the Queens & Monsters series, Savage Hearts. Riley, who was kidnapped by Russian assassin Malek, wrote in her captivity. The story Riley wrote takes shape here.The story opens in January on Bainbridge Island. With a population of about 25,000, the island sits in the Puget Sound just off of Seattle and is a short ferry ride away from the city.Kayla Reece, thirty, can’t bring herself to take off her wedding ring. Grieving the loss of her husband, she finds herself lost. She doesn’t want to relive the nightmare – the drowning accident that took Michael from her – so she pushes it down and tries to move on. With a B.A. in Fine Arts, she is an illustrator of children’s books. Michael had been disappointed that she didn’t go on to graduate school, but she didn’t believe it was necessary. He had taught at the University of Washington in the math department and became head of their Ph.D. program; he placed a high value on education. When he was promoted, he and Kayla had bought a large old home on two waterfront acres on Bainbridge. They enjoyed staying in and spent much of their free time on endless renovation projects. They had been married just six years when Kayla lost Michael.Kayla is not a people person. She doesn’t trust easily and prefers to keep to herself. She works from home, which lends itself to her misanthropic leaning. Other than Fiona, who comes to clean every Monday, her life is rather quiet. She tries to throw herself into her illustrations, but the rainy Bainbridge weather becomes a problem when the old roof springs a few leaks. The electricity also seems to be on the fritz. Getting a contractor is a problem and finding someone she can trust to do the job is an even bigger problem. It doesn’t help matters that she has been suffering from headaches and occasional confusion since Michael’s death.When thirty-five-year-old Aidan Leighrite of Seattle Roofing shows up at her door covered in tattoos and looking like trouble, Kayla is surprised by her attraction to the stone-faced intimidating stranger. He is not her type at all. For reasons she doesn’t understand, she tells him that she recently separated from her husband rather than telling him the truth. They immediately begin bickering, which strangely seems like flirty banter, but she isn’t yet convinced that she can trust him. She and Aidan cross paths again, and soon Kayla finds herself doing things entirely out of character. Her connection with Aidan is unexplainable. With him, she feels free and more alive than ever. His dominant ways in the bedroom excite her, and they are quickly immersed in steamy role-play. She has never had so much fun in her life.Like Kayla, Aidan has an aversion to people. He has an ugly past as well. He is honest, but at the same time, he keeps his cards close to his vest. Kayla thus justifies her secrets, which seem rather inconsequential to her. As she and Aidan begin a physical relationship, they slowly get to know one another. They both sense that they are somehow meant to be, but there are still many things that separate them. Kayla continues to wear her wedding ring, and while Aidan understands that she is still grieving and doesn’t want to rush things if she isn’t ready, Kayla continues to avoid dealing with her loss. The recent electrical issues in her home and other strange happenings have left Kayla with insomnia; she is a nervous wreck when Aidan is not around. When Fiona suggests that a ghost might be the cause of her troubles, it only exacerbates Kayla’s terror.To add to all the odd occurrences, Kayla has been receiving letters from a man at the Washington State Penitentiary. She assumes he saw her husband’s obituary and decided to reach out to her – perhaps he thinks she has inherited money. His messages are odd, and despite her better instincts, she begins writing back. Her unlikely pen pal becomes more loquacious over time, but Kayla struggles to understand the letters’ meanings.Kayla’s journey is an uphill battle. Her grief weighs heavily on her, yet she wonders at how quickly she falls for Aidan. It feels natural. At the same time, however, she becomes aware that she is losing her grip on reality. The strange phenomena overwhelm her. She wants to reject Fiona’s suggestion that a ghost is behind it all, but over time, she becomes so desperate for answers that she begins to wonder if there might be something to it. Kayla’s struggles eventually earn her a happy ending.Wow! Fans of Dante Alighieri’s classic The Divine Comedy will love Kayla’s story, which follows a similar pattern. Part one is Inferno, two is Purgatorio, and part three is Paradiso. It becomes evident early in the story that someone is dead, but who and how many are dead is unclear. The suspense will have you changing your mind repeatedly. I was prepared to be angry in the end, certain that things wouldn’t add up, but there is an excellent and thorough explanation for the confusion. Just be patient and enjoy the ride.This is a lovely story about death and the afterlife, even if it does take some time to take shape. There were two teary parts at the very end. It was beautiful. This is no typical romance, and yet it is still very much a romantic suspense. It is also incredibly steamy. Aidan and Kayla jump into a very physical relationship quickly. For Kayla, it is out of character, but it makes sense for them as a couple. Their deep and instant connection draws them together, and yet neither has much to say. In fact, they often end up staring at one another, neither willing to break the silence. Neither is quick to open up, so they bond physically and the rest follows.Tragically beautiful, Aidan and Kayla’s steamy romantic suspense is a fabulous surprise. It is a unique take on Dante’s classic The Divine Comedy. This story has a lot of steam, but there is so much more to it. Their story is about life and love as well as death and despair. It is about ghosts and hauntings as well as crime and mental health. Notably, it is about revenge. The story is thoughtfully written. It is plot-driven. The suspense keeps you turning the pages as the story slowly unfolds. The story is told in three parts. Part one is the bulk of the book. It is Kayla’s story. Part two gives a peak at Fiona and Aidan’s points of view. Part three reverts back to Kayla’s. There is also a brief epilogue. The characters are carefully crafted and three-dimensional. The couple’s chemistry is fantastic. I absolutely love the banter – there is a dry sense of humor at play. The story is told in first person in Kayla’s POV, with one chapter each in Fiona’s and Aidan’s POVs. I rate this book five stars.
Filipino Bookworm –
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐STEAM: ????My grandfather always believed that soulmates would always find each other even if it takes forever. It has been years since he has been with us, but that thought crossed my mind when I finished this book.Kayla Reece is trying to close a chapter in her life and open a new one. After her husband Michael passed away, she is still processing her grief, but strange things have been happening to keep her from finding peace.Among them are mysterious letters coming from Dante, who tells her that he would wait forever if he must. The problem is that she doesn’t know Dante, why he keeps sending her letters, and why she feels compelled to respond.Meanwhile, her fixer-upper house is in a disarray, so she ends up getting help from a handyman she can’t quite keep her mind and hands off. Is this a manifestation of her grief, or is it related to the mysterious events?I am aware of the controversy around this book and how it has been marketed, and I get how some people might not agree that this is romance. The beauty of the book world is that every reader brings a unique perspective when they pick a book. We might all read the same words and touch the same pages, but how we take it in is influenced by our life experiences and values. I understand and respect why some people might not consider this a romance or a HEA.My grandfather’s stories about soulmates, my own love story, and other things influence how I view romance and a happy ending. To me, happily ever after is finding peace with the one you consider the love of your life. This is why I really enjoyed this book.It was definitely a wild journey from beginning to end. Controversy aside, the writing was on point, and the story was very well paced. The mystery and suspense kept me at the edge of my seat the entire time and continually left me guessing. The main characters were very likeable and relatable, and some of the supporting casts will also leave a great impression. (I’m talking to you, Eddie.)And the spice. J.T. Geissinger writes some of the dirtiest, sexiest spicy moments that will leave you thirsty and hungry at the same time..only not for food.The book does cover a few sensitive topics, so check out the content warnings before diving in. It is also a standalone.
Lifebetweenbooks –
Read with KU subscriptionFirst, for those of you who may be sensitive… There are spankings, a strong D/s vibe, chase play, and threatened punishment. although I normally do not like these things in a romance, they weren’t overly strong, they were never abusive in nature, and there was full consent.I don’t really like books with all of that, but I have to say this book blew me away. It was a total surprise. It hooked me and hung on so tightly that I refrained from doing what I always do in a book, search back when I think I have found a continuity error. I’m sure there are probably some, but I did not care.The story starts with Kayla at her husband‘s funeral, and it becomes clear very quickly that she is going to her mind is very fragile at the moment. Early on, we see her struggling with physical and emotional issues. She is living in a very old home and starts having trouble with it, such as a roof leak and electrical issues. She calls handymen and contractors, with no luck until Aiden, a roofing contractor, shows up on her doorstep. Meanwhile she’s getting letters from someone in prison by the name of Dante.I really like how JT writes, I loved the Beautifully Cruel set, and I’ve enjoyed the books that are somewhat related to those. She created a strong, funny character with Kayla, and gave Kayla a brooding, steamy man, Aidan, to challenge her. I can’t say much more than this or else your reading pleasure might be affected. I don’t want to say something that isn’t a spoiler now but becomes one as you read. Let me just say that it’s a good story about a very vulnerable character wading through a mystery and struggling with falling in love.I can’t recommend this highly enough. Truly enjoyable.
MJLovestoRead –
I love finding a book that has caused a bit of an uproar only to devour it in a day because it’s that FREAKING FANTASTIC! With Pen Pal, that is precisely what happened and this satisfied reader couldn’t be happier to have picked up this gem. J.T. Geissinger has crafted a bold, fresh journey, full of some dark humor and paired with erotic sex scenes that were all kinds of fabulous. I went into this book blind and recommend everyone do the same thing, avoiding those annoying and rude spoilers some ARC readers couldn’t help but post early on. I was taken on a ride I didn’t want to end never quite knowing what end was up but wildly happy, regardless.There are times of pure joy carefully juxtaposed with supreme grief and guilt as Kayla Reece is floundering daily. Trying her hardest just to simply exist in her new normal after a profound loss, the appearance of Aiden Leighrite seems almost heaven-sent. What follows are a series of passionate trysts together with soul-baring secrets, even though the most important is kept close to the vest. Add to that the fact that Kayla is trying her hardest not to lose her mind and somewhat failing in that department. But all the heavy aside, holy moly, Kayla and Aiden burn up the sheets, kitchen table, living room rugs, etc., etc., etc…. like you can’t believe. I do know together with many of my fellow reviewers that I’ll never look at the term “bunny” quite the same way again.The story takes a sharp turn with my jaw dropping to the floor after all my own ‘theories’ about what was truly going on with Kayla, Aiden, and the mysterious Dante gets blown right out of the water. My less-than-stellar detective skills when trying to figure out just exactly what was happening right under my nose only made this reading experience that much sweeter.I am completely in awe of Geissinger’s writing skills and her ability to conjure up such an exquisite story that can be both heartwarming and a bit sinister all in one chapter. This is truly the kind of book I love getting lost in and it will most definitely be a reading highlight for 2022.Ignore the negative reviews and those who can’t appreciate the unique way this book tells a tale. Oh, and it IS a romance albeit an unconventional one, but it is no less intense nor precious than what you might be used to. I loved it hard and happily give Pen Pal a huge 5 stars!
Julie Bianchi –
I have had Pen Pal in my calendar for months and was patiently waiting it’s release (NOT) for what seemed like an eternity. I will read anything by J.T. Geissinger, but when I read the synopsis to Pen Pal, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. So, at 1215am on release day, I purchased it and gave up on sleep to read it.I have to admit that I always read reviews before I purchase a book, or sometimes even read a sample, but with Pen Pal I knew I had to go in blind. I knew there was a twist in this story and I was going to be furious if someone spoiled that for me in a review. So if you want to get the full effect of this story, your best bet is to go in blind.I thought I had the storyline figured out. BOY WAS I WRONG!! Ms. Geissinger is an absolutely brilliant story teller. I was so shocked at the end that I missed certain clues she dropped. But then I was so engrossed in these characters that I don’t think I was catching certain phrases she used.I have never read a storyline like this before and I’m so happy a writer like J.T. Geissinger thought of it. I don’t think a lot of authors would have the talent to pull it off or make it so nail-biting at times.I read this story straight through and I am so upset that it’s over. This is a story that you will immediately want to re-read – I know I am!Pen Pal is a 10 ? book in my opinion. The story is beautiful, mysterious, funny at times, has lots of endearing characters and the chemistry is out of this world hot! Oh, and the cover is the hottest I’ve seen in a longgg time! ? I haven’t been able to buy physical copies of books in a long time but I will scrimp and save to bring this baby home!