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They say it happens when you least expect it.

It did for me.

It started the moment I saw the simple message pop up on my computer screen:

Cameron’s Mac: Hi.

And when I met the eyes of the gorgeous man messaging me from across the coffee shop, I never thought my reply would lead to the most intense, sexual, and passionate relationship of my life.

We both agreed to check our bags at the door and put our future hopes and aspirations on the table.

It worked.

I fell in love with his no holds barred attitude, sexy smirk, and undeniably good heart . . . and for a while we forgot about our baggage. We happily tripped over it to get to the other, neither of us willing to show the contents of our pasts in the off chance it could ruin us.

We built our love on a foundation of gray.

It was life in black and white that threatened to tear us apart.

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The Real by Kate Stewart shot me right in the feels and touched on every emotion possible in this heartwarming romance! It was sweet, angsty, and incredibly passionate and romantic. Beautifully written, the story was filled with hope and heartbreakingly tender moments. The Real grasped onto every one of my heartstrings and just would not let go – absolute perfection!

Cameron and Abbie were very relatable and endearing characters, each with such uniqueness and depth. I couldn’t help but adore Abbie’s quirkiness and truly admired her strength and honesty. She was wholly beautiful, both inside and out. Cameron. Was. Amazing. He was so very witty and fun, but I loved his tender and caring nature with Abbie. Cameron was sure to let her know how beautiful she was, and he was incredibly romantic. He really was the dreamiest type of Book Boyfriend that you could imagine!

The charming way Cameron and Abbie met in the coffee shop, where the foundation was set for their relationship via written words between Macs as they ‘coffeed’ together, was so sweet! I loved their feisty and sexy banter, and it was really fun and entertaining to follow. Cameron and Abbie shared a slow burning passion that literally steamed from my kindle, filling me with anticipation, wanting to know what their future would hold and what was quietly simmering underneath the set ‘rules’!

What would follow completely caught me up in the swells of Abbie and Cameron’s happiness and heartbreak, and as the two fell deeper and deeper, they fell incredibly hard. Absolutes were never a part of their equation, yet in the end they still found the truest form of love with their perfectly imperfect relationship, and their journey completely melted my heart!

Stewart’s writing was the best type of beautiful, with her tender words and romantic moments. The storyline was so unique, and the twist in Abbie and Cameron’s journey was completely unexpected. As heartbreaking as it was, Stewart’s happily ever after for them in the end was absolutely heartwarming in every way possible!

There were also many little nuances and witty touches that Stewart put into the story to make it feel fun, down-to-earth, and so relatable! The sayings on the coffee mugs were fantastic, the ‘slob days’ were perfect in how we all need them, and Abbie’s ‘geeking’ out moments were so funny. The extent that Cameron went to prove to Abbie that romance wasn’t dead was totally swoonworthy! I also loved Cameron and Abbie’s relationships with the supporting cast of characters in the story, which felt very true to life. They were a delightful addition to the story, and the love, honesty, and support for each they shared other was incredibly touching!

I have to mention Stewart’s incredible playlist she created on Spotify, which I highly recommend listening to. The one she had for Drive totally impacted my feelings for the story, so I couldn’t resist checking this one out as well. Of course, it was amazing, and I was a total goner left in tears when I listened to it. I could perfectly place the songs to the feelings of Cameron and Abbie in the story, and we definitely have the same taste in music. Her selections are really unique songs that I have a love for as well, including Landon Pigg, Sara McLachlin, and The Chainsmokers. ‘Wanted’ by Hunter Hays also came on the radio during my read, and I couldn’t help but think of Abbie and Cameron and how their story touched my heart!

Kate Stewart is such an amazing author and has completely enchanted me with her writing! The Real just felt magical, yet so very real. I didn’t want it to end, and I feel like I grieved after finishing the book knowing my time with Allie and Cameron was over. My heart just burst with happiness for them, and all of the emotions that stirred within me left me lost in the feels for days. Although this is a completely different story, Stewart actually did the same thing emotionally to me in Drive, and her ability to touch my heart in this way is one of the many reasons that she has quickly become one of my favorite authors!

The Real is a ‘must read’ for every romance lover, and I truly loved every minute of this beautiful and all-encompassing story!

ARC kindly provided by the author and the tour host, WordSmith Publicity, in exchange for an honest review.

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Cameron’s Mac: Hi.

I looked above my laptop and took a deep breath before I accepted his invitation.

Abbie’s Mac: Hi.

Abbie, he’s going to wear your skin! I tried to ignore my inner voice.

Cameron’s Mac: I saw you with the homeless guy.

Abbie’s Mac: Ok?

He took a sip out of his Real Men Love Pomeranians mug and shrugged before he typed.

Cameron’s Mac: So, that was nice of you. Most people in the city just walk on by.

Abbie’s Mac: Oh. Most people do walk past Bennie. But he’s different and I’m not most people.

He lifted a brow and bit his lip.

Cameron’s Mac: I see that.

Cameron’s Mac: Want to have your next cup with me?

Say yes, say yes! It’s only coffee!

Abbie’s Mac: No, thank you.

You idiot.

His brows drew tight with his frown.

Cameron’s Mac: Sure? How about some breakfast?

My pulse raced with the memory of my last reaction to that type of attention and the consequences, and I answered without another thought.

Abbie’s Mac: No, thanks.

His chuckle was deep and covered me, even across the space between us. He bit his full bottom lip as he typed, his smirk still intact.

Fuck. Me. Damn it, Abbie!

Cameron’s Mac: Well, I guess today is not my day.

Abbie’s Mac: That’s all you’ve got?

I had no clue why I sent that message . . . why I was bothered that he didn’t try harder. Just that fucking smirk. It was sexy as hell.

He read my message and shrugged as he typed.

Cameron’s Mac: You seem to enjoy coffee. I don’t have an agenda. You’re beautiful, I noticed. I wanted to drink coffee with you. You said no. I’m going to scrape up the rest of my pride now and head out.

He closed his laptop and stood while I deflated. Damn it. He was being nice. Since when are guys just . . . nice?

Am I a man hater? Have I become that woman?

I spoke up as he slipped his computer into a worn leather bag.

“I’m sorry,” I offered in quick apology. “I was expecting some horrible line or screwed up proposition. The web, messaging, anything that has to do with technology has been hazardous for me. I’ve seen enough unsolicited dick pics for a lifetime. I was just being cautious.” And that was the truth. But I’d said it aloud in verbal vomit. Did I really say “dick pics” out loud?

He chuckled again as he looked down at me from where he stood, then grinned.

“Today isn’t the right day.” The husky baritone of his voice matched the silky hue of his eyes, which seemed to darken as he looked me over.

“No?” I asked in a whisper as I sized up his six-foot-plus frame and imagined the possibilities.

“No,” he said. “Maybe we can not have coffee again sometime?”

He’d tapped out with a simple ‘no’ from me. He couldn’t have been that interested in the first place.

I couldn’t deny the disappointment welling up in my ovaries.

“Okay.” I lifted the last syllable when he didn’t press further.

Cameron pulled out his wallet and set some money on his table then walked over to mine and did the same.

“At least let me buy your next cup.”

After setting the bills down, he stood over me briefly and I caught his scent-purely masculine. I inhaled as much as I could without being obvious. He didn’t smell like a psycho.

Cameron picked up his man-bag while I pictured running my fingers through his messy, inches thick, dark-brown hair.

Don’t let him leave. Tell him you aren’t that big of a bitch. But that would seem desperate. You aren’t desperate. But you are horny. Omg, are you horny??

As if reading my thoughts, I caught another flash of his teeth and had to bite my cheek to keep my reaction in check.

“I’ll see you.”

“Yeah, see you. And thanks,” I said to his retreating back, an octave louder than necessary. “For the coffee,” I added. Outside the window, Cameron bent and exchanged words with Bennie before sticking some cash in his hand.

Well, Abbie. Guess you’ll just have to wait until the next time you roll out of bed and a beautiful man hits on you. Should happen again, you IDIOT!

Once again, my hesitance had cost me. And I couldn’t help but feel like this time it cost me big.

Sagging into my seat, I continued to stare in his direction, watching those broad shoulders walk out of my life.

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Purchase The Real on Amazon today – FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

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Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it’s what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.

Connect with Kate:

Email – authorkatestewart@gmail.com

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