{"id":14857,"date":"2020-05-23T00:00:09","date_gmt":"2020-05-22T22:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=14857"},"modified":"2023-06-14T16:04:31","modified_gmt":"2023-06-14T14:04:31","slug":"waiting-for-you-elle-spencer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/waiting-for-you-elle-spencer\/","title":{"rendered":"Waiting for You by Elle Spencer: Audiobook Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Waiting<\/a>Waiting for You by Elle Spencer<\/strong> is a small-town romance about fate and destiny and believing that your soulmate might be out there just waiting to be found.<\/p>\n

Once upon a time, there were two young women named Katie and Roo. They loved each other very much. They were soulmates, but they lived at a time when society thought a love shared between two women was immoral, so they were ripped apart, separated, and Katie grieved the loss of Roo, her one true love.<\/p>\n

When Lindsay Hall was in high school, she and her best friend Patty cut class to drink peach schnapps and listen to a past life regression CD they picked up at a tag sale. Patty had a nice nap, but Lindsay had an experience that would stay with her for the rest of her life. She got a glimpse of herself from a previous lifetime with a woman she loved. Patty has always accepted Lindsay\u2019s belief in her past life experience. It might be part of what makes Lindsay such a talented and sought-after portrait artist. According to Lindsay\u2019s ex-husband, Lindsay\u2019s obsession with the woman from her \u201cpast life\u201d is part of what lead to the demise of their marriage. Even her teenage daughter rolls her eyes at the mention of Lindsay\u2019s previous life.<\/p>\n

Ren Christopher is ready for the next chapter of her life, but before she jets off to Paris to begin her new job, she decides to spend two weeks in Salt Creek visiting with her closest friend from college. Having just extracted herself from a drama-filled relationship, Ren is looking forward to downtime with Deb and her family. Two weeks of no stress, no pressure, and no drama is just what the doctor ordered. Her vacation starts out with a brilliant find at the local art gallery. Ren is drawn to a portrait of a little boy and buys it without reservation.<\/p>\n

This vacation starts out perfectly until Lindsay faints at the sight of Ren. When Lindsay regains consciousness, she can\u2019t believe who she\u2019s just seen. Is this just an odd feeling of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu or has Lindsay just found the woman she\u2019s been waiting a lifetime for?<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Victoria:<\/strong> I enjoyed getting to know Lindsay and Ren. They complimented each other quite perfectly. Even though Lindsay\u2019s 100% small town, she doesn\u2019t shy away from the more worldly Ren. Lindsay represents everything that\u2019s responsible and stable, which is a nice contrast with her creative, artsy side. It makes complete sense that she\u2019s tuned into one of her past lives and accepts it. I think the thing I like most about her is her willingness to go after Ren. There\u2019s no second guessing from Lindsay. Once she\u2019s recovered from the shock of coming face-to-face with Ren she knows Ren is her person.<\/p>\n

Ren surprised me in several ways. She\u2019s introduced as a high-powered New York businesswoman, but she\u2019s just as grounded as the other women who inhabit Salt Creek. She\u2019s confident in her sexuality, admits to being a bit of a player, yet she\u2019s sometimes at a loss when she\u2019s with Lindsay. I love that dynamic in a lead character. Something inside Ren recognizes how special Lindsay is and it has nothing to do with her looks. Just like Lindsay, Ren lets their attraction play out trusting that it\u2019s meant to be.<\/p>\n

Sheena: <\/b>Lindsay is a believer. She believes in true love and in the fact that she had a past life love called Ren. She so vividly knows the woman that no matter what others say she won\u2019t be swayed to anything but her truth. But what I really enjoyed about her is that she just quietly forges ahead and is sweet and kind, never fighting or becoming mopey.<\/p>\n

Ren is determinedly off to Paris to take up a new job. She never waivers in her goal even when she meets a woman who she has intense chemistry with.<\/p>\n

She does get freaked out when she discovers that Lindsay believes that Ren is her long lost love but Spencer did it in such a way that I still liked Ren.<\/p>\n

The side characters in this story play a huge part in making it as fun to listen to as it is. Their antics, quirky comments and all round fabulousness really rounded out the book to make it something special.<\/p>\n

The Writing Style<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Victoria:<\/strong> Waiting for You is full of witty banter, inside jokes, and straight forward insights. The book celebrates the friendships between longtime friends who often talk in rapid-fire shorthand. The women tell it like it is, good and bad, and I thought the story concentrated just as much on the friendships forged between the characters as the romance between Lindsay and Ren.<\/p>\n

Spencer also nails the complicated relationships between mothers and their teenage daughters. Her teen characters\u2019 dialogue is authentic, and I could honestly feel some of the eye-rolls.<\/p>\n

A secondary story line involves Lindsay\u2019s former teacher, Mrs. Stokely. She lived with her \u201ccousin\u201d Milly for as long as Lindsay and her best friend could remember. Spencer brings to light the lack of acceptance and inclusivity towards the LGBT community in the 1970\u2019s. Although Millie passed away many years ago, Lindsay and Ren help Mrs. Stokely feel comfortable celebrating their relationship. I liked how Spencer weaved this bit of history into the plot so naturally.<\/p>\n

Sheena: <\/b>I loved every moment of this story. I am a big believer in true love and soulmates so this concept was really easy for me to buy into. Spencer goes from strength to strength with her writing skills giving us angsty romance up to now but this rom com will forever set a new bar for her work. I think she may have found her niche.<\/p>\n

The Narration<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sheena: <\/b>Lori Prince was a great narrator for the book. There are amusing elements to the story and a ton of witty dialogue that needed to be delivered just right. Prince did it perfectly.<\/p>\n

The Pros<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Victoria:<\/strong> A main character named Ren? Any homage to the classic film Footloose makes me want to kick off my Sunday shoes and bust out my 80\u2019s dance moves.<\/p>\n

Sheena: <\/b>I loved the audiobook. It was the perfect delivery vehicle for such a cute romantic comedy and I found myself listening way past my bedtime.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Victoria:<\/strong> I liked Lindsay and Ren so much. I would\u2019ve liked to spend extra time with just them. Maybe they\u2019ll turn up in another book???<\/p>\n

Sheena: <\/b>If you are not a believer in soulmates then this one will require you to suspend disbelief. However, Spencer my just be able to convince you otherwise if you embark on this journey so don\u2019t say I didn\u2019t warn you.<\/p>\n

The Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"sheena's<\/a>Victoria:<\/strong> I couldn\u2019t wait to get my greedy little hands on Waiting for You. I\u2019ve come to count on Spencer to take me away from whatever drama is going on in the world to a place where sharp, attractive, women will entertain me with their wit and warmth. I wasn\u2019t disappointed. Lindsay, Ren, and all the women from Salt Creek made for great company. Lindsay\u2019s past life experience set this story apart from most traditional romances and that\u2019s something Spencer has a flair for. Of course, I knew I was going to get my happily ever after, but it came with a novel, unexpected twist. I enjoyed this love story, and I hope you do too.<\/p>\n

Sheena: <\/b>Absolutely get the audiobook if you love a wonderful romance with HOT sex, loads of chemistry, tons of laughs and excellent narration.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Waiting for You by Elle Spencer<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There was something about the way Lindsay looked at her, even from the very first moment before she\u2019d fainted. Ren knew Lindsay would turn around. She was sure of it. And she was just as sure that when Lindsay did turn to find out what the holdup was, Ren would see that look again.<\/p>\n

She waited for it, unable to move until Lindsay stopped and turned. She needed to see it again to know for sure. And there it was. Pain, sadness, uncertainty. Why would anyone look at a stranger with such emotion in their eyes?<\/p>\n

It had happened a few times while they sat on Mrs. Stokely\u2019s green sofa. Ren caught her staring. If anyone was making eyes at anyone, it was Lindsay. But it wasn\u2019t the kind of look Ren would want from such an intriguing, beautiful, talented woman. It wasn\u2019t a flirty look or a come-hither look. In fact, if Ren hadn\u2019t known better, she would\u2019ve thought she\u2019d done something terrible and had a lot of making up to do. A lot of trust to rebuild. A lot of wounds to heal. But they barely knew each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you okay?\u201d Lindsay bent and picked up the little suitcase.<\/p>\n

When their eyes met again, Ren asked, \u201cAre you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Lindsay hadn\u2019t just turned. She\u2019d come back for Ren. Picked up her suitcase. And the question hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. Why couldn\u2019t Lindsay say she was fine or not fine or somewhere in between?<\/p>\n

Without an answer, Ren felt compelled to pull this beautiful stranger into her arms. Those hands were slow to return the hug. Hesitant. But once Lindsay\u2019s arms wrapped around her, Ren found herself in a warm embrace she had no desire to escape.<\/p>\n

It was Lindsay who let go first. The blush across her chest and neck were the first things Ren noticed. Then she realized Lindsay still had a firm grip on her forearms.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure why I did that,\u201d Ren confessed. \u201cI guess you looked like you needed a hug.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lindsay\u2019s grip loosened. \u201cYou were right.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope it helped.\u201d Their stance was far too intimate. Their gaze too full of emotion. Ren felt something she couldn\u2019t define. Concern? No, it was bigger than that. She was quite capable of feeling concern for a stranger in distress. This was different.<\/p>\n

Get It On Amazon<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you use the links in this review and buy from Amazon within 24 hours of clicking then we get a small commission that helps us run the site and it costs you nothing extra.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Bits and Bobs<\/strong><\/h3>\n