“No matter what happens, my heart and my soul, I give them to you. They’re yours to keep.”
DOWN TO MY SOUL, book 2 in the spellbinding Soul series by Kennedy Ryan was a true masterpiece!! This is a sweeping, slow burning friends to lovers rock star romance that hit every note with passion, precision and pure perfection!
Full disclosure…I am the first to admit that I had some...um…issues with Miss Kai Anne Pearson’s blind ambition and emotional hang-ups in book one, MY SOUL TO KEEP. I mean she kept my boy Rhyson Gray friend zoned foreverrrrr and I wasn’t sure if she was fully deserving of my Alpha Delicious BBF’s unconditional love and fierce devotion, but what a difference this book made. I fell. Hard. As deeply and irrevocably in love with her as Rhyson did and the trials and tribulations these two overcame to triumph in their love was beyond words. Set against the sometimes glitzy but often gritty backdrop of the cutthroat music entertainment biz, it was a privilege to watch this couple “grow into love” through the course of this duet and the themes of love, faith, forgiveness, blind ambition, loyalty and sacrifice were explored throughout.
There was so much magic and beauty and powerful emotion that was rolled into one timeless love story that it will forever be branded on my heart and soul. The narrative was truly enthralling, a beautiful kaleidoscope of poetic prose, searing emotions, scorching sensuality and vibrant imagery that transported me into the evocative lives of these beloved, endearingly flawed characters. In addition to the ELECTRIFYING, blazing hot chemistry between Rhys and his Pep what truly stood out for me was their deep abiding bond of friendship. Their witty banter was hysterical, cute and poignant and so AUTHENTIC! (Like OMG those classic movie quotes! Fanfreakingtastic!)
I enjoyed the enticing blend of humor and angst and the memorable cast of supporting characters infused this book with wonderful texture and flavor. I loved them all--San, Bristol and Grip, Aunt Ruthie and Grady and even Dub. (Well, on second thought, the blackmailing scoundrel Drex and the dastardly Malcom and Rhys’s cold as ice mom…er…not so much). Speaking of Aunt Ruthie, she was one wise Southern broad!!! “She promised me that you would make mistakes, and that the real test would be to love you through them. It’s a test you already passed when you loved me through mine.”
The cosmic connection between super nova musical sensation Rhyson Gray, and rising popstar Kai was pure heaven. Their love of music that bound them together made their bond unbreakable. And even though they had their share of hardships and sometimes faced pinnacle crossroads along the way, the love that tethered them together never faltered. And every book starts and ends with the hero, right? Well, I love me a strong, dominant, fiercely possessive, swoony Alpha Male who will do anything for his girl and Rhyson Gray was all that and MORE.
“I will always move heaven and earth to be with you."
Man was this boy INTENSE! And uber protective. And okay maybe borderline obsessive when it came to his girl. His take no prisoners devotion to Kai, an exotically beautiful up and comer in the music business, was so powerful and all consuming—she was truly the center of his entire world and there was nothing he would not risk or sacrifice for his Pep. And anyone who dared to hurt or malign his precious girl in any way would be subjected to the full force of his wrath, primal rage and righteous fury. But who could blame him? Kai was his sun and his stars and his reason for being. I felt the depth of his devotion right down to my core and it resonated so deeply it left me breathless and giddy and all aglow with rapturous delight.
The soft spoken Kai might not have been as in your face and expressed her love in more subtle ways, but it was evident that the gorgeous southern belle loved him right back with the same ferocity—and she truly went above and beyond to safeguard their love and try to protect him too. Their scenes pulsated with so many heartthrobbing feels and stirred a gamut of emotions….one minute I am giggling with laughter and blushing like a school girl, the next I am gasping for breath, swallowing a lump in my throat and choking back bittersweet tears. I just had so many goosebumps and chills and tingles coursing throughout my body and felt everything these characters went through together as if I was living it with them.
“We are pieces that have interlocked, carved to fit by fate or something I don’t understand, but I know is real.”
This book was perfectly paced and moved at a steady rate but not so fast that we did not get to cherish every beautiful beat of their love story, which was brimming with angst and love, passion and drama, and so much heart and soul,. All the pivotal plot points from both books played out brilliantly in this story, finally reaching a shattering crescendo that was shockingly scandalous, brutally raw, emotionally devastating and gutwrenchingy real. Ms. Ryan truly did not leave a single stone unturned and that HEA ending. OMG the ending was PITCH PERFECT!! I shed happy, joyous, cathartic tears. There was so much heartswelling beauty to behold. And it was real. Nothing felt fabricated or contrived…it just flowed naturally like warm honey and left me basking in the euphoric afterglow.
“I am his. Our darkest secrets, shared. Our deepest places, reached. We are completely known. Completely loved down to our very souls.”
In closing, there are ultimately no words that can adequately describe my feelings for this book. Kaison is officially up there in my top five book couples of all time, and I am truly awestruck at Ms. Ryan’s exquisitely crafted characters, sophisticated plotting, warm, breezy, down to earth dialogue, keen insights, majestic imagery, and innate ability to evoking intense visceral emotions in the reader.
For those of you who have not read this brilliant masterpiece, a sumptuous symphony of passion, pathos, soul deep friendship and once in lifetime love lost and miraculously found again, what are you waiting for? But a gentle word of advice: Do not binge read this incredible series! Every stunning word, every breathless moment, every achingly beautiful melody should be slowly devoured like Mr. McClausky’s mouthwateringly delicious chicken in a pot. I loved this extraordinary book with every beat of my hopelessly smitten heart...and cannot wait to read the final chapter in Kaison's epic journey!
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Reviews with images
I live you RHYSON
When I read the words THE END to the ending of MY Soul to Keep I literally started panicking there was absolutely NO possible way I could even get out of my chair that I had made my home those past few hours, so I did what any sane person would do...I sent Kennedy 100 PM. That ending killed me killed. So the moment Down To My Soul popped up on my kindle I screamed because Rhyson my Rhyson was gonna make everything better. The thing is I had no idea he would make me feel like this. Complete and utterly hopelessly can't live without him In love.The ending of My Soul To Keep leaves you with so many questions but rest assured Mrs.Ryan will answer them in the most beautifully written way. As we know Kai is finally getting her big break while Rhyson is stuck dealing with the heartbreak of his decision regarding all things Kai, but that won't stop him, he is head over heels in Love will do anything to love and protect her. I loved all sides to Rhyson. Romantic Rhyson, angry Rhyson, fun Rhyson, possessive Rhyson. Let's just say you will get it all,and you will love it. Kai I loved her she has had to deal with things on her own in life, so she wants to make it on her own, whether it's in her career or personal life. I loved that all she truly wanted was to protect and love Rhyson. It was beautiful to see the depths of there love.This story has made my heart soar, has captured the true meaning to love & life, to sacrifice.These two characters have made such a dent in my heart I can't let them go ever.The writing is PERFECT. The LOVE between these two is woven so NATURALLY I could read it again and again.MUST READ.Favorite Quotes"I LIVE You"Every time he loves me, I’m changed. Every time he takes me, I die a little and am born again.Even when we’re apart we’re together,”
Top reviews from other countries
Yamikirky - Women who stare at books
Soul Series, my first books by Kennedy Ryan and certainly not the last!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2016
