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Into the Sunset

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Ben

I know why I lost her. I was too serious, I was too practical. I was too busy thinking I knew what she wanted without asking her.

Over time, this wore on her. All she wanted was to be heard. She wanted someone to support her big exciting ideas, I was supposed to do that, but I shut them down. No wonder she handed me my ring back and left town. No wonder she married someone else, leaving me with memories of sunsets at the beach and the future I had planned for us.

I went on and built my life without her. My father and I opened the second division of Sunset Builders in Las Vegas, and to my surprise, I stayed busy, almost busy enough not to notice the loneliness. That was until one day I was called to do a quick bathroom and kitchen remodel for a woman who lived on Las Vegas Boulevard. I shouldn’t of gone, I should have sent one of my men because when I arrived, and the door opened, every memory I’d had of Jessica came flooding back.

If I’d learned anything in her absence it was that anything worth doing was worth being done well, and anything worth having was worth fighting for. I just hoped she’d give me a second chance.


Jessica

Ben had always been right to keep me grounded. I should’ve listened because the falls didn’t hurt as bad that way.

I wanted a bigger life, in a bigger brighter place. I never appreciated the beauty of living in a small town with a huge support system. Instead, I left town without so much as a goodbye, chasing a silly dream.

I married the man who promised me the sun, moon, and the stars, but delivered blinding blows. I spent years hiding in the dark so that no one would see my bruised face. Most days, I thought I’d die before I escaped the nightmare. I dreamed of running, it was my only way out. Then I got news my grandfather had passed. He left me money and a gorgeous condo in Vegas. I had a plan. I would upgrade the condo, sell it, and fade away into the sunset, all while my husband was gone on a business trip.

Little did I know that Ben would show up on my doorstep. He swore we could make our dreams real, but this time I was the grounded one. I could only see how we would never work. I’d made too many mistakes and love was terrifying.

160 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2022

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About the author

S.L. Sterling

40 books3,508 followers
USA Today Bestselling Author S.L. Sterling was born and raised in southern Ontario. She now lives in Northern Ontario Canada and is married to her best friend and soul mate and their two dogs.

An avid reader all her life, S.L. Sterling dreamt of becoming an author. She decided to give writing a try after one of her favorite authors launched a course on how to write your novel. This course gave her the push she needed to put pen to paper and her debut novel "It Was Always You" was born.

When S.L. Sterling isn't writing or plotting her next novel she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee, blanket and the newest romance novel from one of her favorite authors.

In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, sunny destinations, spending quality time with family and friends and of course reading.

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5 stars
12 (30%)
4 stars
16 (41%)
3 stars
10 (25%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for Joelle.
1,580 reviews17 followers
May 24, 2022
This was an enjoyable story where sometimes love is just not enough, hopes and dreams trumps love.

We loved Ben, what a sweetheart, and our heart bleed for the man who pined for the woman he loved for years. Super nice guy that was hard-working and talented, and the kind of guy a girl hopes to build a life with.

Jessica was a character that we never warmed up to, honestly there wasn't a thing we liked about her, found her to be selfish and uncaring and always thought about herself and did not care how she went about hurting others.

Overall, this was an enjoyable story, being on Ben's mission to make the only woman he ever loved his once and for all. Loved Ben's relationship with his sister, loved that they were so close and supportive and protective of one another. Even enjoyed Jessica's friend who regardless of Jessica's actions supported her in her time of need. This story is about perusing one's hopes and dreams but, sometimes you need to experience the bad along with the good to learn what is truly important and hope it's not too late before you figure it out before all is lost and that you have lost your one true love forever...
Profile Image for Jennifer Pierson.
11.6k reviews163 followers
May 23, 2022
Jessica & Ben were in love until she left him for something more which broke this amazing man's heart. Turns out the grass isn't greener on the other side as Jessica has learned when searching for something bigger & now she's stuck like chuck in a bad situation. Of course fate stepped in for Ben, as he ends up coming across her path when he goes out to do a job that he should have someone else done. I loved Ben so much, and frankly, Jessica didn't deserve him whatsoever. I have to say that I really never warmed up to her because she truly came across as selfish for a great deal of the book since she went back & forth like crazy which had me ready to pull out all of my hair. I love this author's writing style despite my not really liking Jessica, and she certainly created a beautiful book boyfriend for all of us. Please remember that this is only my opinion so decide for yourselves since I do HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Profile Image for Dana zamora.
758 reviews7 followers
May 10, 2022
Going from high school sweetheart's and after college things spiraled down for Jess and Ben, seeing each other years later was a shock to him, learning about her life after she left, still harboring feelings for her Ben doesn't know what to do, he wants her back, has kept her ring with him as a reminder of what they had and could have again, possibly, can they get past the hurt, can they communicate to each other, make their feelings known, can they trust, beautiful ending, I have voluntarily read and review this ARC, thank you for the privilege, Dana Zamora
Profile Image for Mari (Mystics & Metaphysics Book Blog).
7,756 reviews169 followers
May 10, 2022
Ben and Jessica get a second chance when they reconnect but there is a lot of drama that happens before they can get there. I had a hard time connecting with Jess with the back and forth and at one point I just wanted Ben to find someone else. Those are strong feelings! In the end it works out, but didn't feel the connection as much as I would have wanted.
Profile Image for Heather Dee.
413 reviews
May 10, 2022
This book was absolutely amazing my heart was broken 💔 I cried but then I was smiling and sighing ... absolutely gorgeous couldnr recommend enough !
Profile Image for Robin.
1,013 reviews4 followers
May 10, 2022
A beautiful second chance book. Lots of ups and downs, so be prepared but overall a great story!
Profile Image for lowkeyreader.
4,653 reviews45 followers
May 11, 2022
I don't really know about this one. It's definitely not my favourite book by the author. I feel like there's a lot of information that's left out as this is pretty short in length. And I can't really connect to Jess. I feel like she's too self-absorbed and selfish. Even after they reconnect, she wouldn't even consider his feelings for her and maybe rethink her decision. Ben definitely deserve better than her.
118 reviews
May 9, 2022
I loved this book. I was in such a book hangover and this was such an easy read, just what I needed. Ben is such a sweet, gentle man. And Jessica just took some time to figure out what she wanted.
Profile Image for Deeply Love Reading Blog.
488 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2022
Ben and Jessica had to lose each other to realize that fate would intervene Whalen the time was right.
"It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
I could not connect with The heroine.
The time frame even though labeled well in the book was a little frustrating.
I love how Ben’s sister Jules was there to be his supporter . I can’t wait for her book.
3.5 stars.

About the book:
Ben
I know why I lost her. I was too serious, I was too practical. I was too busy thinking I knew what she wanted without asking her.
Over time, this wore on her. All she wanted was to be heard. She wanted someone to support her big exciting ideas, I was supposed to do that, but I shut them down. No wonder she handed me my ring back and left town. No wonder she married someone else, leaving me with memories of sunsets at the beach and the future I had planned for us.
I went on and built my life without her. My father and I opened the second division of Sunset Builders in Las Vegas, and to my surprise, I stayed busy, almost busy enough not to notice the loneliness. That was until one day I was called to do a quick bathroom and kitchen remodel for a woman who lived on Las Vegas Boulevard. I shouldn’t of gone, I should have sent one of my men because when I arrived, and the door opened, every memory I’d had of Jessica came flooding back.
If I’d learned anything in her absence it was that anything worth doing was worth being done well, and anything worth having was worth fighting for. I just hoped she’d give me a second chance.
Jessica
Ben had always been right to keep me grounded. I should’ve listened because the falls didn’t hurt as bad that way
I wanted a bigger life, in a bigger brighter place. I never appreciated the beauty of living in a small town with a huge support system. Instead, I left town without so much as a goodbye, chasing a silly dream.
I married the man who promised me the sun, moon, and the stars, but delivered blinding blows. I spent years hiding in the dark so that no one would see my bruised face. Most days, I thought I’d die before I escaped the nightmare. I dreamed of running, it was my only way out. Then I got news my grandfather had passed. He left me money and a gorgeous condo in Vegas. I had a plan. I would upgrade the condo, sell it, and fade away into the sunset, all while my husband was gone on a business trip.
Little did I know that Ben would show up on my doorstep. He swore we could make our dreams real, but this time I was the grounded one. I could only see how we would never work. I’d made too many mistakes and love was terrifying.
May 11, 2022
2.5 stars
Ben and Jess were childhood sweethearts. Ben knew what he wanted for them, and had their lives mapped out, but Jess had different ideas and wanted something more for her life. Chasing a different dream, she left Ben and his town behind. Ben never got over his one true love and took the time to invest in his business, growing it into a well-respected company, but never forgetting Jess, or moving on from her either. Jess landed herself in a situation while chasing her dream, and by doing so, married a man that was abusive. An opportunity arises when her Grandfather dies, and she runs from her marriage. Imagine her surprise when she hires a contractor to help flip her home. Ben thinks life has given them a second chance, but Jess is not so sure, and still wants to chase her dream. Is there room for both, or will she give one up? On the whole, it was an okay story with a plot that had potential. I had some issues with Jess, our main character and if I am being honest she never really portrayed the woman who had been abused. She was selfish. The story was almost summarized for the reader and I felt that was a bit of a problem, I was not invested as I never felt the connection. The tying up of the story and characters was a tad weak, and just too convenient, as well as hastily done. This was unfortunate as it could have been great with the right conflict. I liked Ben on the whole but felt he was a bit of a pushover, and I wanted him to call Jess out, instead, it all seemed to be wrapped up without any rising climax. The writing was fine, but it would have been far better had we had “Show” and not tell. Overall, not bad, but could have been better.
Profile Image for N.D. Jackson.
Author 14 books237 followers
May 23, 2022
It took me a while to figure out how I felt about Into the Sunset when I finished reading it. I didn’t really like either of the main characters. Jessica had every right to leave but she was as guilty of not voicing her concerns and wants and needs as Ben was of not asking. Besides, they were very young and needed some time apart.
At least Jessica lived her life, regardless of the quality of that life instead of just holing up and becoming a bitter workaholic. I always love a second chance romance but the truth is that I didn’t feel a connection between Ben & Jessica, certainly not one that made me want their happy ending. Over the course of the story I did root for them but I never really felt like they deserved it or had earned it.
Overall Into the Sunset was a good read. I really loved the friendship between Jessica and Kate, and I loved how fiercely protective Ben’s sister was when it came to his former flame. She’s a fierce one and added some much needed spunk to the story.
Profile Image for Christine Woinich.
2,355 reviews18 followers
May 27, 2022
Jessica and Ben basically grew up together, made plans for a future together, until Jessica got a little bored with her life. She went for a life outside their tiny town, but things were not a rosy as she expected. Fate brought them back together, but too much had happened for it to be a smooth reunion. When thinking about rating this story, I decided between 3 1/2 stars and 4. This was definitely more women's fiction than romance as the majority of the story these two were not together. Jessica was a bit more hurtful to Ben than I would have liked. Ben could have manned up sooner. The ending seemed a bit rushed in trying to wrap up all and have them together. But overall, I felt the story deserved the extra half star.

I received a copy of this story through Enticing Journey Book Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
2,263 reviews33 followers
May 11, 2022
Angsty , heartbreaking, heartfelt, emotionally charged , captivating , intriguing, off the charts chemistry, witty banter , humor , angst , page tuner , characters that are unique, likable relatable and multi layered , and a second chance storyline that will literally grab onto all your emotions, pull at your heartstrings and suck you right in . Into the sunset has all the feels , it’s honestly one of my best second chance romances I have read in a very long time , but why I am even surprised as it’s by SL Sterling who just happens to be one of my very favorite authors . Prepare yourself , as you will laugh ,you will cry and you will find yourself rooting so hard . What a emotional rollercoaster, perfect , Unputdownable and unforgettable
a
Profile Image for Lesley.
354 reviews27 followers
May 17, 2022
A second chance romance - Ben loved Jessica with his whole heart but while she loved him, she needed to get out of their small town and go after her dreams, knowing that if she didn't go there would come a time in her life where she'd start regretting him and their relationship. That shattered Ben's heart, but life goes on. And sometimes life has a way of turning a dream into a nightmare! Fate put Ben and Jess back into each other's paths again. It certainly was a bumpy path!

I loved Ben - there were many times where I wish he would have just moved on and there were definitely times where I wanted to slap Jessica for how he treated him!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Leisa Ann.
632 reviews7 followers
May 8, 2022
I love a second chance story but I struggled a bit with the heroine. I loved Ben but had a hard time accepting Jess because of everything she had put him through not once but twice. I can only take so much wishy washy-ness and Jess exceeded my limit. Ben and Jess were together from a young age before Jess decided she needed to leave the sleepy lil town. Her plan to make it in the modeling world didn’t work out and her path crosses with Ben’s again but that doesn’t work out either and she leaves again. She finally comes to her senses but by this point I’m thinking Ben might have finally come to his senses lol. It does have a HEA but not without a lot of drama
Profile Image for Nicole ReadingBetweenTheSheets.
878 reviews38 followers
May 12, 2022
Following the “perfect” relationship and saying “yes” to a life of happiness, Jessica left town abruptly for “more”. She found herself in a troubling marriage not the life she was “promised”.

After being given back the ring, Ben stayed in their hometown, living with the difficult memories of the life that could’ve been.

I am mixed on this one. There was A LOT going on throughout the book. I liked the overall story. I honestly didn’t like the heroine, Jessica, AT ALL. I didn’t think she deserved forgiveness from Ben and reconciliation…I honestly thought she was a selfish beastie (**not a spoiler…you know this is a HEA!). But overall it was good and I would recommend it.
Profile Image for Reemah .
826 reviews
May 13, 2022
3.5 Stars!

S.L. is a new to me author so I did not know what to expect an I was pleasantly surprised. Jessica and Ben have history and there was things unfinished and pain so when they see each other again there are things unsettled. Jessica has a lot on her plate and cannot decide what she wants. Ben is patient because he knows he wants Jessica. Overall there was things I really enjoyed about the book and there was things that I was not a fan of. Overall the story was good. It had a great variety of emotions, and flow to the story. I would have liked a little more of Jessica and Ben's history. Overall good second chance romance.
Profile Image for Wendy Livingstone.
16.8k reviews200 followers
May 15, 2022
Ben and Jessica were high school sweethearts, until college when everything spiralled out of control, and they went their separate ways. Ben and Jessica meet again years later, and he is determined to get his girl back. This is a story which pulls at the heartstrings, and the only downside, is that I struggled to engage with Jessica. This is a well written story which is a 2nd chance romance, with drama, angst, emotions, heartbreak, intrigue, humor, and is a captivating page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Enticing Journey Book Promotions and am voluntarily leaving a review.
125 reviews
April 29, 2022
Half the relationship development is heavily implied and occurs off page. Otherwise, it is summarized, leaving characters feeling hollow and hard to connect with. Felt like the relationship was toxic with how Jess treated Ben, he deserved better. Also hate how the issue with the abusive husband was resolved. Felt like deus ex machina and the author trying to rush things along. Overall, this book left me feeling icky.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
623 reviews4 followers
May 11, 2022
Sunsets and Somedays is a second chance story. I really liked the storyline and the idea of Ben and Jessica's story, but not my favorite by Sterling. This revised version flowed much more nicely for me and I did enjoy it more the second time around! I had a better connection with both MC, but I felt Ben was desperate and caved way too easily when it came to Jessica and Jess was selfish and never truly cared about Ben's feelings until the end. Overal I did like this new version better than the first
Profile Image for LC.
580 reviews4 followers
May 16, 2022
I read this novel in its first incarnation and now with its update and additional words. I have to say, I remember enjoying it then and I enjoyed it now. This story is about young love that ends hard before being found again as adults. It’s the story of abuse and regret and above all hope for the future.

These are the kinds of stories I like. I like hope. I like second chances. I like stories where couples overcome crazy circumstances, where they rebuild trust, where they fall in love again. 🥰
Profile Image for Mercy Berg.
17 reviews
May 11, 2022
I love second chance romances and this is exactly that. Ben was completely adorable and I fell in love with him. Jess, she wasn’t my favorite. I had a very hard time empathizing with her and letting the things she did to Ben go. I think if the story lasted a little longer and you had more of a chance to like her more it would’ve helped. In the end I really loved the story line and the writing was wonderful as usual from this author.
Profile Image for Shuvai.
342 reviews2 followers
June 13, 2022
Into the sunset is a great book. I really loved the storyline. Jess and Ben were childhood sweethearts, because of not understanding each other's dreams their relationship felloff only to be reunited 10 years later

A great book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
772 reviews9 followers
April 30, 2022
This book was okay. I felt like there should have been more to the story. I never really connected with any of the characters.

Side note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
Profile Image for Jo-Ann Forrest.
2,604 reviews18 followers
May 10, 2022
Jessica had big dreams and left the love of her life Ben and her hometown behind to go fulfill them. Instead she was unfulfilled and returns home to see if she can recapture what is real and not a dream. A sweet, heartbreaking story that I graciously volunteered to review.
3,750 reviews27 followers
May 19, 2022
Into the Sunset by S. L. Sterling is a good, and enjoyable second chance small town romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
317 reviews2 followers
June 6, 2022
INTO THE SUNSET is about Jess and Ben. Their story unfolds with excellent storytelling. I loved the connection the characters had between them.
The book has everything a story like this one needs to make it a great read. I enjoyed it. It was a one-sitting read for me.
233 reviews
May 11, 2022
Awesome read. I enjoyed it even though I felt like the h did not deserve a second chance. I would still recommend this book. Great job.
1,272 reviews
May 14, 2022
A really enjoyable and addictive second chance love story. The characters are fantastic alongside a brilliant storyline made for a fantastic read. I loved the whole thing.
575 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2022
I enjoyed this book. A second chance at love. Who wouldn’t want to experience that
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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