BEARD IN MIND (The Winston Brothers #4) by PENNY REID :: REVIEW
2 August, 2017

Our Review
Penny Reid -for us- is always like a breath of fresh air when we pick up one of her books. She doesn’t excessively flower her words nor does she soften them. She brings an air of real life –undiluted- into her fiction which will touch many readers’ hearts for their honesty and singularity. Characters who swim against the current, a storyline that mirrors only itself. This is why we love Penny Reid. The beauty is always there and her characters have their own unique mould.
“Unless they’re polished, their colors will fade.”
“Like a person.”
“Pardon?” I returned my gaze to her profile.’
“People need to be polished to be stroked, touched,” her tone was abstract, “and when they’re not polished, their colors fade. They fade, they change, warp become something different.”
We have read every single Winston Brothers book in this series and whilst they’re as different as night and day in many respects, they’re really quite similar in their message. Every character has a specific burden or personal disposition to work through yet whilst a beautiful romance runs through them, the underlying theme always has such depth and realism.
“All people are broken, Shelly. No one is perfect. Some seek help. Some don’t. But no one is ever fixed by another person. We can only work on ourselves.”
We were excited for Beau’s story, who is so much more than just a wonderful and handsome, family loving man. We loved Beau’s character for how he was written and how he always stayed true to himself and his principles. A man whose heart is pure and loving despite the aches and breaks thrown at it. This man is a sunset and a sunrise; constant with such beauty.
‘But Beau is amazing. Being with him is so…effortless. Nothing has ever felt effortless before. And he wants to be with me.’
Without question this was Shelly’s story to tell and it was told in such a vivid yet clinical way that the effect of her words felt like razors in their intensity and honesty. It was a window into a tormented soul who struggles with control and their place in life; adopting coping mechanisms which may confound others yet makes life somewhat liveable for her. These coping mechanisms are stressful and controlling in their own right and makes for devastating reading. However, that is Penny Reid, and for those who stand in judgement of romance readers clearly haven’t picked up a book by this Author.
‘But I have always known –always felt- how embarrassing it is, to be this way. To admit that I can’t touch people without wanting to cut myself, to keep them safe from me, just in case. Because though you say I am not crazy, I know how I sound.’
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and cannot be measured nor compared. We all see beauty differently despite the yardstick so often planted in front of us. For us, real beauty is found through emotions, healing, bravery in suffering and without question can be found where you least expect it or look for it. The beauty of words can never be underestimated, especially when those words are found by that one person whose heart feels their true value.
“You are absolutely vital to me. I want to be just as vital to you. I want to take care of you, let me take care of you. You are my first thought in the morning, and my last thought before I go to sleep.”
Synopsis

All’s fair in love and auto maintenance.
Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.
Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words.
Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.
The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity—exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity—and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean missing out on what matters most.
Other Books By This Author
Standalone
Knitting in the City Series
Winston Brothers Series
Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries Series
Elements of Chemistry : Hypothesis Series
Rugby Series (with L H Cosway)
Latest Posts
GOOD GIRL FAIL by RONI LOREN
‘Why can’t you? He’d thrown that bomb into her world. Why can’t you have what you want? Why can’t you be who you want to be? Why can’t you? With them she finally could. And she was going to be so very good at it.’
GREEN JEWEL (The Painted Daisies #2) by LJ EVANS
‘Heartache and sorrow hung over her so deep it bled through every vein.’
BEAUTY and the BALLER by ILSA MADDEN-MILLS
“Princess, when I love someone, it’s with my soul. It’s a full commitment. It’s a relationship that will grow, evolve, and change to fit us. I won’t ever stop trying to be the best man I can be. I won’t give up on us, through thick and thin.”
DUKE: FAKING THE PLAY (The Boston Tomcats #3) by KAYLEY LORING & CONNOR CRAIS
“Just don’t fall in love with me,” I teased. “Kay.” He said.
NEVERMORE BOOKSTORE (Townsend Harbor #1) by KERRIGAN BYRNE & CYNTHIA ST. AUBIN
‘Sometimes passion was a whisper, other times a roar. This time? It was a storm.’
Featured Author
COLLEEN HOOVER captured our hearts back in 2011 with her unique, warm, funny, sweet, and utterly captivating stories. Our love affair with this incredibly talented author has never waned. Colleen is one in a million!
Upcoming Releases
Be sure to keep updated on all the books headed our way by visiting our TBB Upcoming Releases Page.
Latest New Releases
We’ve got all the latest releases, so be sure to head on over to our New Releases Page!
Sales
We’ve got some amazing books currently on sale! Be sure to hop on over to our sales page and check them out!
TotallyBooked Shop
Have you checked out the fabulous items available in our shop? The Tote Bag is perfect for book signings! <3