This Life and All the Rest

Next Life Duet, Book 2

By: Brit Benson

Narrated by: JF Harding, Lidia Dornet

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

She thinks our story is over. It’s just beginning.

Lennon Washington has been the star of every dream, every nightmare, since the day I lost her. Since the moment I let my demons win and she slipped through my fingers.

Her memory has haunted me. Changed me. Broken me and remade me. And I’d all but given up on us.

Now tragedy has brought her back into my life. My secrets are at her disposal. Hers are unraveling quickly. And every emotion we’ve tried to deny is returning with a vengeance.

But we’re not kids anymore. We have changed drastically. And with each new ache, I start to wonder...

Is there a place for us in this life, or will we have to try again in the next one?

***

This Life and All the Rest is the conclusion to the Next Life Duet. It has a guaranteed HEA. It is necessary to listen to book one, The Love of My Next Life, before listening to this one.

©2022 Brit Benson Books (P)2023 Brit Benson Books

Brit puts our hearts back together

Book two of the Next Life Duet.. Lennon and Macon's story continues but my gosh they've been through a lot over the years! Brit promised she would make everything better...and I really questioned that and continued to question that throughout the entire book...hello angst old friend!

The absolute trauma and devastation they go through in order to find a way back to each other... and the way that Lidia Dornet and JF Harding convey the emotions throughout this entire story are mind-blowing. I sobbed with Lennon as she revealed her truths, I felt the passion between Lennon and Macon when they couldn't deny the electrical current pulsing between them and I cried happy tears as Macon realized he was worthy of love. And every step of the way Lidia and JF were there to enhance the experience!

I can be honest and say that the panic I felt throughout the first several chapters was real...and then slowly things start to make sense...but of course nothing is simple and I'm convinced Brit likes to take your heart out, stomp on it and then slowly heal it

Life lessons from Brit:
1) Everyone needs a friend like Sam and Casper.
2) Not everything is what it seems (communicate, communicate, communicate).
3) Love can conquer all.

A reminder that this duet is performed in duet narration (see what I did there 🤣). If you are newer to audio you may not realize that a duet series is different than a duet in audiobooks. Duet in the book world is when there are two books in which the story takes place compared to duet narration which involves a story performed by two people and each performer reads the dialogue of their characters across all chapters!

It's you and me. For real. Out loud. Forever.

Been waiting for that HEA in this, the second part of the Next Life Duet, have you? Well, put on your headphones, grab your tissues, and start listening. Macon and Lennon have a lot to go through before that HEA becomes even a speck on the horizon.

The Love of My Next Life set us up, gave us all the history and backstory, made us hopeful and afraid at the same time, and brought us to a turning point. What happened that called Lennon home? What has to change for her to end her self-exile in Paris and her estrangement from her family? Is it even possible?

Once again, narrators J. F. Harding and Lidia Dornet capture Macon and Lennon perfectly, but this time they’ve put a little maturity in their voices; it’s been four (yes, four) years. It’s no longer fevered teenage angst. It’s now adult longing and desire, but heavily overlaid with sorrow and regret and sadness, anger and deep bitterness.

What happened and is it fixable? The spark is still there. Actually, it’s not a spark but a wave of need, a current that flows between them. But Lennon has surrounded herself with a wall of refusal to give in again and Macon is torn between wanting to act on his impulses and fearing these are the addictions that will ruin him once and for all.

This Life and All the Rest is perfectly paced, alternating POVs between Lennon and Macon, and tugging at your heart strings each step of the way. Trent’s heart attack is the reason Lennon goes back to Virginia. This is a different Lennon than the girl banished to England, and she only intends to stay until Trent is well enough and then go back home to Paris. Author Brit Benson, however, carefully creates a collection of circumstances and chance meetings that almost immediately throw Macon and Lennon together again. That tingle of awareness when they come into each other’s presence is still strong, but something is off. Everybody knows what happened four years ago and since then – or do they? We start to realize neither they nor we have the full story. Macon says, “You’re the one who had the temper tantrum, who ran off,” and Lennon replies “I did what I had to do to survive.” Macon says, “I told you, I explained,” but Lennon says “That (little sticky) note?” Are they even talking about the same things?

It takes us – and them – a long time to get the full story. There are mysterious references to the past we don’t quite get. Trent relapses so Lennon must stay longer. Claire is still Claire, maybe even more so. Although now engaged to football-star-from-high-school Eric, she picks up right where she left off in high school, treating Lennon badly and questioning any time she spends with Macon. Casper and Sam are the opposite of Claire and we love them. The desire is constant, but each time hope starts to rise it’s dashed by uncovered secrets and revelations. Even the good things they uncover don’t seem to fit in this puzzle of misunderstanding. It is an absolutely delicious puzzle and you will enjoy (even while wiping away those tears) uncovering each piece of it. The phrases “It’s you and me. For real. Out loud. Forever,” and “You’re a good kid who’s going to be a good man,” and the significance of that pink butterfly clip will keep running through your head. You want this HEA!

I’m not going to add more detail and spoil the journey. Be assured the satisfyingly steamy scenes are all there (woo, can this author write!) and the ending is just what you’ve hoped for. Giddy Lennon, smiling ear-to-ear. Macon . . . well, who doesn’t love Macon? This is Macon with that crushing weight finally off him. Macon joyous, jubilant, exuberant. Macon who can’t keep his eyes, hands or lips off Lennon. Macon still with the sexy smirk but relaxed, fulfilled: “Lennon Capri Washington belongs with me. She knows it. I know it. Everyone else will figure it out soon enough.”

Thanks to Home Cooked Books and the author for providing an audio copy of This Life and All the Rest. Just as with the first book, I thoroughly enjoyed it, cried, laughed, worried and sighed all through it, and could not wait to get to the promised HEA. A final shout out to extraordinary narrators J. D. Harding and Lidia Dornet for taking author Brit Benson’s wonderful work and making it even more wonderful. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions are my own.

Note: there is some excellent bonus material you don’t want to miss available at the author’s website, authorbritbenson.com.

Wow

I needed this book to end well. These two went through so much they did not deserve. So many mistakes were made. Claire was an awful human. Must read the duet just prepare for a lot. Loved it.

Incredible ending to the duet

What an amazing end to this duet. Macon and Lennon have had so much growth between the first book and this one.

Brit’s writing really makes you feel all of the emotions of each character and make you feel like you are living this right along side of them.

Lennon and Macon were SO dang relatable for that reason alone, it made them SO easy to fall in love with and rooting for.

And yeah - you’ll definitely get your heart shattered after the first book but it’ll be put back together by the end of this duet.

I listened to this entire duet on audio and the narrators did an AMAZING job together.

Best Story I have listened to in 2023

I have no words. This duet was so amazing. The angst, tension, passion and love with these characters is everything a book needs. I read/listened to both books I’m the span of 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down!

Loved this series!!!!!

Love Brit! This series is a MUST read, loved all the characters and story lines, tears were shed, so, bring some tissues in the second series.

Total Binge Listen - Conclusion of the Duet

Book 2 of the Next Life Duet, you must read in sequence. I'll wait while you go back and read The Love of My Next Life... ready?

The story for this one is set primarily 4 years after the end of TLOMNL but with flashbacks and memories threaded through to provide us with much needed information from both sides on how both Macon and Lennon became the versions of themselves they are now. It isn't until all the truths are revealed that they are able to truly move forward and deal with the past.

This duet is so beautifully crafted. The journey the characters go on to finally get their well earned and deserved Happily Ever After is perfection. The end of book 1 left us reeling and heartbroken along with Lennon. In book 2 your heart will break even more as you (and they) learn how everything unfolded and all that happened in the intervening years. You will be angry at them, angry at others, angry at the universe and also want to wrap them in warmth, make them safe and soothe all the pain.

There is a list of trigger warnings, some of which are sensitive topics for me, but I had no issues with how they were handled on and off page. But check for yourself to be sure.

These characters are so real that as a reader I was, and still am, fully invested in their story. I raged, I cried, I couldn't stop talking about them and I couldn't stop listening!!! I devoured my advanced copy of this audio. I was lucky to be able to roll straight through from book 1 to book 2 because even though I know where the story goes, the audiobook format just makes everything MORE. The feelings are more intense, the tears come and then you can't stop. You are so deep in the story, addicted, and have to know what happens next.

J.F. Harding and Lidia Dornet slayed these performances. The book was performed in Duet style making it so much easier to sink into the story and let the feelings wash over me. I was just as emotionally unstable listening to this book as I was when I read it last fall. And I already knew where the story was going! But both Lidia and JF put an immense amount of feelings into these characters and my heart broke for them at times. The struggle to find their HEA was definitely an uphill battle and that much sweeter in the end.

I requested and was provided with an advanced copy of both the ebook and the audiobook. These are my honest opinions.

Excellent

I absolutely loved this series! This is one of the best series I've listened to this year! The narrators were perfection!! Highly recommend and well worth the credits!

I'm Speechless

Fu....ck talk about feelings! There wasn't 1 emotion that was left out. Don't read too many reviews. Just go in and do it! Hands down 1 of the best duets I've read this year!!! 👏🏽 🙌🏾 Hands down. And the best narration by J.F. Harding and Lidia Dornet. DROP the 🎤 The nomination for best makeup smex ❤️‍🔥💣💥 OMG where do I go from here 😳

Didn't want it to end!

I loved this story and fell in love with the characters. I didn't want it to end. Plus, the voice actors were fantastic.