Pushing You Away

Noah & Katie, #1 (Lawton Ridge Duet Series, Book 3)

By: Kennedy Fox

Narrated by: Lia Langola, Tor Thom

I’ve been in love with my best friend Katie Walker for as long as I can remember. We may have shared our deepest, darkest secrets but that one I’ve kept to myself. Before I got the courage to confess my true feelings, my cousin Gabe moved to town and swept Katie off her feet.

I should’ve admitted how I felt but I couldn’t - especially once they got married.

When I caught Gabe cheating on his pregnant wife, I snapped. A deadly fight erupted and before I could comprehend what happened, I was charged with his murder and sent to prison.

The day I’m released, I go straight to Katie’s house. But after pushing her away for a decade while I was behind bars - she slams the door in my face - wanting nothing to do with me.

While she’s determined to pretend I don’t exist, this time I’m not going anywhere.

Pushing You Away is a slow burn, angsty friends-to-lovers romance with lots of small-town, Southern drama. It's Book 1 in the Noah & Katie Duet and must be listened to in order.

©2021 Kennedy Fox (P)2021 Kennedy Fox

Love this second chance romance!

I love this start of Noah and Katie's romance. When Noah lost his chance with Katie, and she married someone his cousin, Noah continues to be the loyal friend and check in with her and cares for her. This story gives some background to their friendship, but also sets up Noah's unflinching feelings for Katie. No matter how much time and life has put them through, Noah's love for Katie is steadfast.

As with many of the stories that Kennedy Fox has put out lately, there's forced proximity which encourages Noah and Katie to admit their feelings for each other. Tor Thom and Lia Longola did a fantastic job as always of narrating this story. I highly recommend the audio, and this duo is honestly perfection!

Noah in audio = ovary explosion!!!!

When I read this book I wanted the audio ASAP! If you like a best friends to lovers story read by two of the best narrators then Pushing You Away is definitely for you. Hearing Noah and Katie's story in audio made me fall in love with them all over again. For some reason I felt like Tor's voice sounded so much sexier in this one then others he has done and I loved it. Lia delivered perfection per usual. She has a touch of a southern accent but it isn't overkill.

Take a trip down memory lane with Noah and Katie as he is released from prison 10 years after being sentenced for the death of Katie's husband. He refused to see her while he was behind bars but is determined to explain to her once he is able to get her to talk to him. Soon they are reminiscing their teenage years and admitting what their feelings were for each other back then and still are to this day. There is no doubt I will be listening to this one multiple times.

Warning ⚠️

This is part 1 of Noah and Katie's story. it is a wonderful story of forgiveness and love. the ending will have you on the edge of your seat ready for part 2! Noah and Katie are such a sweet couple and show that second chances can be worth facing the challenges life can bring!

Loved it - Great story and great narration

I love friends to lover’s story and Pushing You Away was an entertaining and emotional read and is Katie and Noah’s story. Noah has been in love with his best friend for years but circumstances and his cousin Gabe got in the way and she had no idea how Noah truly felt.

Noah goes to prison after a fight leaves Gabe dead and despite Katie's attempts to keep in contact with him, he refuses to see her. When he is finally released the first stop Noah makes is to Katie but she is not welcoming, far from it. However after so many years, Noah is determined that Katie know how he really feels and thankfully Katie decides to give him a chance.

This is a story that built slowly, with some angst and was well written and is book one in their duet, so you have been warned that this ends in a cliff hanger. Kennedy Fox drew me in and kept me invested from the first to the last chapter with this emotional read.

The performance by Lia Langola and Tor Thom was spot on for Katie and Noah and they did a good job in expressing the emotions that these characters went through.

I cannot wait to read the conclusion to Noah and Katie’s story in Holding You Close.

Go ahead and buy the second book now!

I listened to the audio version of this book. I'm not really sure how they make the ex-con thing work as a romance, but Kennedy Fox has pulled it off yet again. They make me forget my concerns about the prison thing and just go for the romance and the good qualities of these characters. It was kind of hard for me to get past the fact that Katie was upset with Noah, not for killing her husband (even if it was an accident), but for refusing to let her visit him in prison.

This was a second chance trope. Noah and Kate had been best friends growing up and the possibility for more kind of slipped through their fingers. Now Noah's out of prison and trying to get his life back on track...and that means getting Kate to let him in her front door. The fact that someone is trying to kill him could put a damper on his progress in everything. Can he win Kate over without risking her life and her son's?

This is the first of two books. Don't even think about reading this one unless you're committed to also get the second book. HUGE CLIFFHANGER!

I was given a complimentary copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.