Sterling Brick

By: L.B. Dunbar

Narrated by: Stella Hunter, Patrick Zeller

Length: 10 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Love wasn’t part of the blueprint when high school sweethearts reunite in their small town. But this former military man never forgot the girl he left behind and he’s more determined than ever for a second chance to rebuild their relationship brick by brick and heart by heart.

Getting locked in the men’s restroom during my mother’s funeral wasn’t exactly how I expected to run into my high school sweetheart. The one who got away. The one who broke my heart.

I could toss the busted doorknob in my hand at him, but I’d prefer to get the heck away. Because twenty years later, Knox Sylver isn’t a teenage boy anymore but a broad-shouldered, thick scruff man with eyes that still look at me like I’m the only person in the room.

As a newly divorced mother of two teenagers, it’s been a long time since anyone sees me. And Knox is definitely watching.

Unfortunately, he made choices in the past and I wasn’t one of them.According to him, that is ancient history.

Also, according to him, it’s never too late for a second chance. He’s out to prove he’s solid and stable, having returned to our small hometown, in a better place after a career in the military. He’s a local hero as a fireman and he wants to rekindle the flame between us.

I’m the one with decisions this round.

Do I stay where memories hurt? Or do I leave my past, and Knox, behind me again?

+ + +From L.B. Dunbar comes an all-new small-town romance with a big family and the silver fox swoon one expects from her love over-40 romances.

©2024 L.B. Dunbar (P)2024 L.B. Dunbar

Amazing story with fantastic narration!

Thank you Home Cooked Books for the ALC. Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller deliver an amazing performance. They bring perfect emotion, personality and voice to each of the characters. I love how narrators bring a whole new experience to readers/listeners by bringing authors words to life through voice. LB writes amazing characters dealing with real life situations. Each of her books gets better and better. This is an amazing second chance romance that is full of past hurt, starting over, forgiveness and moving on. Halle is at a crossroads in her life, dealing with life changes which has her returning back to Sterling Falls…a place she doesn’t want to be. She needs to start over after her recent divorce and she currently feels “lost”. Knox is an amazing and patient man. He has always loved Halle but made some decisions that put a wedge between them when they were younger. He’s determined to win her back through his actions. This is a beautiful heartbreaking story of people who are resilient, determined and willing to take a second chance at love. Love this series and this book is an amazing addition.

A wonderful story about second chances

I am new to this author and the series , and if like me you have not read or listened to book 1, rest assure this one is a stand alone.
20 years ago, Knox Sylver and Halle Reynolds were HS sweethearts. But upon graduation, Knox leaves Halle behind, devastated and alone, to join the Navy and becoming a pilot.
Back for her mother’s funeral and recently divorced with two kids, Halle is planning to restore her mother’s home and sell it. The money will help her start her life anew.
When Knox sees her again, he remembers the girl he let go .
What happens when he decides to help her with the house ? Will Halle give him a second chance, one that Knox desperately wants but she fears will leave her once again heartbroken when he leaves her again?
This a wonderful, touching story about second chances in life and love. One that grabbed this listeners attention for the beginning to the end.
I also appreciated that the characters are older and likable.
Both Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller did a great job with the narrations.
I was entrusted a copy of this audiobook. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Hot & Steamy

Sterling Brick is a cute second chance romance. Haley's story is heartbreaking, she deserves this second chance. Knox is a military vet and Haley's first/true love. I like that Knox immediately accepts Haley's 2 kids. I also like that he took all of them on a family date. Stella Hunter & Patrick Zeller did a very animated job, they brought the character to life along with they're sex noises. I'm wondering if this is normal and I just spaced it out, I don't know. Listening to this book is sickly sweet but very steamy and hot.

I want a deck...

Sterling Brick is book #2 in the Sterling Falls series. I had not read book 1 before starting this one and did not feel like I missed any part of the story. I will say that I was totally intrigued, so went back and listened to book 1...but that's just my FOMO. Hailey has returned to her hometown, divorced with two teenage children, to bury her mother and close out her estate. The one person she doesn't want to see...Brick Sylver. When they get trapped in a bathroom together, the old chemistry rears it's steamy head and starts a path these two don't know if they can go down. This story gives us so much. Enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance, some suspense and intrigue, small-town gossips, and a definite slow-burn with lots of angst. My only complaint was the MCs kept repeating the same history (no trust, not worthy) a LOT, so I did skip over some of that repetitive chatter. But it's a strong 4.0 stars for the story.

The narration was so dang good! I'm a big fan of both narrators (Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller) so I knew it was gonna be fantastical 😂. These two bring all the heart and passion of the two MCs to life. 5 build-me-a-deck-too stars!!

Delightful Second Chance Romance!

This was a delightful second chance romance, and a first for me by this author. Hayley's life is in upheaval after a recent divorce, and the loss of her mother. She is back in her small town, a place that holds sad memories. She is there with her two children settling her mothers estate when she sees her first love. She and Knox were young lovers making plans for the future, when Knox suddenly joins the military, leaving her behind. Now, years later he is retired, and back home. When Knox sees Hayley again, he knows he needs to earn her trust, and convince her they were only on pause, and are meant to be together forever. Hayley realizes the love she had for Knox is still smoldering, ready to reignite. But she has her two children, and they always come first. I really loved how Knox and Hayley reconnect, getting to know each other as they are today. Knox was so swoony as he helped Hayley rediscover her adventurous side, and become the woman she was always meant to be. I also loved how they grew into a new, sweat and loving family.
Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller did a terrific job capturing each characters personality. I love the emotion, and passion they brought to their performances, and I was completely invested in Hayley and Knox’s journey from start to finish.

Second Chance

3.5 stars

Sterling Brick is the second book in the Sterling Falls series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Knox and Halle were high school sweethearts, but he left her and joined the military. She moved on, got married and had kids…but ended up getting divorced. Now they’re both back in their small town, and it’s obvious they still have chemistry.

Halle had gone through a lot when she was younger, and she didn’t want to be like her mom. She was a good mom; she cared about her kids and their happiness. But she didn’t take much time to consider her own happiness, and Knox really helped her to realize that.

Knox was so sweet and just a total cinnamon roll. He cared so much about Halle and her kids, and he was determined to not let Halle get away again.

I enjoyed seeing these two get their second chance.
:
Narrators: Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller
Style: Dual

Stella and Patrick did a great job bringing the story to life. However, it sounded like Halle had a southern accent in the beginning of the book, and somewhere along the way, it wasn’t as strong or wasn’t there at all. It didn’t take me out of the story, but it was just something I noticed.

Second chance at its finest

Audiobook and Book Review

♥️ Slow burn
🤍 Second chance romance
♥️ Former Naval Aviator
🤍 Former near Olympian
♥️ Divorcees
🤍 Small town

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Narration: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Halle is newly divorced and goes back to her hometown of Sterling Falls to attend to her mother’s funeral. Both Knox, the former love of her life, and Halle have struggled with life changing events that happened decades ago. Choices that each of them made brought them apart for years. At Halle’s mother’s funeral, they run into each other again. Sure, it may not have been a physical run in, but they got locked into the bathroom together, so, semantics.

Knox made choices for the both of them all those years ago when they were teenagers in love. Did he make the right choices? The story is a back and forth, highlighting the pain and uncertainty each are going through. The love lost, the time lost, and the opportunities lost. There is a lot of growth and healing that happens in this story. Hard truths have to be recognized and forgiveness has to be given.

Sterling Brick is the story of a timid rekindling of the loss of love and time. That rekindling is sweet and real. There are a lot of real life experiences that readers can connect with. It makes the story that much more enjoyable and potentially heart wrenching, as so many of us can connect what has happened in our life’s with the story of Halle and Knox.

I love Knox’s unwavering determination of getting Halle back and not letting her go again. Halle works through who she is as a mother of two, who has given up so much of herself along the way. When the two of them come together now, as opposed to teenagers, is bold and s€xy.

I could listen to Stella Hunter narrate all freaking day. Well, actually I have 😂 She does an amazing job bringing out each and every character. Sometimes narrators of one gender don’t always come across well when they are narrating the other gender. Stella CRUSHES it when she narrates as Knox. I mean, she crushed it the whole book 😍, but this was something that stood out to me. 🩷

This was my first Patrick Zeller narration and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him. He also did an amazing job when narrating the female parts; not all male narrators can come across so well! His narration of Knox was on point. He added emotions and feelings to Knox that we readers don’t always get to hear. And he has such a smooth voice, it was soothing to listen to. 🫠

🧯 “And if you were wearing my ring, I’d be making damn certain you never took it off.”
🧯 “F***, Halle. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
🧯 “Give me what’s always been mine, Halle.”
🧯 “It’s been a long time since someone has loved me.”
🧯 “My heart. My soul. For the first time in years, I feel like I’ve truly come home.”

4.5 out of 5 stars!

Second chance but make it mature adults in a small town with lots of history between the main characters. Halle Reynolds came back to Sterling Falls for her mother's funeral. The last person she expected to see at the service was Knox Sylver. He broke her heart and stomped all over it when she was 18. But even though she wants to hate him, Halle can't help the feelings that can't be tamped down. Knox knows he messed up big time, but his reasons were valid. It's not as if her mother was accepting of their relationship way back when.

Halle's feeling lost. No marriage, no career to speak of, no home, no direction. She's torn between pleasing her children and claiming herself. Knox does everything in his power to ingratiate himself to Halle once again. Once Halle and Knox open up to each other, communicating about the things they couldn't quite put into words when they were teens, we finally see why Halle and Knox are meant to be. This was more than a second chance, small town romance. It was about learning how to believe in yourself, asking for and accepting help, communicating with words and actions, and learning how to love without reservation. The depth of emotions that I felt was tremendous.

Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller were amazing narrating this story! The combination of their voices gave the characters personality and relatability.

I received advance copies of the ebook and audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Knox & Hayley!

What do I love about this book? Everything! This is the kind of story that pulls at the heart strings. A second chance, military, single mom romance could not be better told than by LB Dunbar. Hayley is back in Sterling Falls after the death of her mother. Recently divorced, she is looking to update the house, sell it and start her life over with her two children. Little did she know Knox would be at the funeral. Knox is retired military, now living back home and when he sees Hayley, he knows it their time. Now to be patient and win her back. But is she willing to uproot her children from the place they know as home? Will her ex-husband play a part in her decision? And does her heart still belong to this man? I know mine would. Knox is sweet and warm. He knows his decisions have led them to where they are and they may not have been the right ones. Hayley carries a lot of guilt and fear when it comes to what makes her happy. She needs to sit back, reassess and get her life together. And the kids add to her thoughts. Love Tim and Violet, the kids we have all had and attitudes we have all dealt with. This story has a true to life feel with an incredible couple and town. I can't wait to visit again!

Stella Hunter and Patrick Zeller are the story tellers for this fabulous story and they make it real. Hunter becomes Hayley, portraying with true emotions of a mom, a daughter and an ex-wife. I could feel each one as she poured through the story. Zeller adds his voice as Knox, strong and loving and then at times extremely vulnerable. These two made this come alive and gave my heart all it needed.

Angsty second chance with chemistry and steam on the road back.

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (0-5)
Steam: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5) (detailed & passionate)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 The narration pulls you so into the story. Stella Hunter always brings the feels and Patrick Zeller is hawt—so sensual and in the moment. 😮‍💨
🤩 It’s second chance, in their place of so many memories and so much grief. It’s angsty and a little bit heart-wrenching. Knox Sylver: “I haven’t forgotten a thing, baby.” Halle Reynolds: “I want you . . . but I don’t know how to keep you.” They had my tears flowing multiple times.
🤩 But the chemistry is still burnin’ up & keeps us going until they get themselves on track! ❤️‍🔥
🤩 I love the nicknames, and my heart was bursting with love over the call signs.
🤩 The way Knox interacts with and loves on Halle’s kiddos (tween and teen).
🤩 It’s raw and real.
🤩 Old firsts and new firsts.
🤩 I’m a sucker for tossing a rock at the window.
🤩 Holy hotness in the shower scene! 🥵
🤩 The ring!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Take me to the Sterlet book club!
💫 I’m starting to feel a little sl^tty for book boyfriends named Knox! 🤣