Reverse (The Bittersweet Symphony Duet) Paperback – July 14, 2022

So for real my book friends. I will never get over this book. This duet…Yeah, put a fork in me I am done. For years Drive has held such a special place in my heart. I was a little nervous on what to expect with Reverse. How would it compare? See that’s just the thing. It doesn’t need to be compared, actually I don’t think we should be comparing. I mean this Is Easton and Natalie’s story after all, and while yes, Stella and Nate’s history plays an integral roll in bringing these characters into one another's lives, It will be vital that they follow their own path and write their own story. BUT that is easier said than done and this book wouldn’t be the angsty deliciousness that it is, if it were. But real, true inevitable love will always be worth everything you have to endure to have it in the end!“The type of love that defies rationality, that trumps all reasoning, that’s uncontrollable.”Reverse is the second book in The Bittersweet Symphony Duet, coming to us five years after the release of Drive, and bringing us the unforgettably emotional second generation story of Easton, son of Reid and Stella, and Natalie, daughter of Nate Butler. In order to fully appreciate this couple's journey, to understand where they come from, how they became the people they are, you must go back to where it all started. With the people that created them. You will get the full dynamics of the Stella, Reid, Nate love triangle when you read Drive.I could say so much about this book but I honestly want everyone to have the ultimate reading experience when reading every book. Especially one this phenomenal. So I am not going to give any specific things about the book away. You can pretty much deduce anything I could say without spoilers by reading the blurb. Just know these characters will grab such an emotional hold on you. You won't ever be able to let them go.Their connection was intense, the sparks explosive. One life changing meeting became a chance at a love bigger than either of them could have imagined. But how could they pursue anything between them when being together could hurt so many people?“The truth that our souls clicked seamlessly together before our bodies ever aligned, and it can no longer be denied or undone.”Easton Crown is a character I will NEVER get over. I mean he is rock royalty. But he is so much more than that. He has to without a doubt be one of my favorite book boyfriends ever written. His talent, his attitude, his dirty alpha mouth. The way he is with Natalie. OMG!! The way he just puts what he wants out there. His music, I loved what a true gift he is to the music world and yet he’s humble and his motives for doing what he does in regards to his music are just honest and you get it when you read it. You just.GET.HIM.The songs, the entire soundtrack, the setting were all just as important parts of this story as the characters themselves and I found myself instantly transported into this book world. The sights, sounds and smells were all part of what had me captivated by this book from the first syllable to the last. BTW. This is a LLOONNGG book and I had a hard time making myself put it down.Author Kate Stewart does what she does best and does not shy away from the devastatingly gut-wrenching moments we are used to from her. Nor does she spare us the “I want to rip my hair out in chunks because I’m so frustrated right now” moments of agony. OH!! She definitely does not shy away from packing in the perfect amount of scorchingly sinful steamy goodness that will have you wanting to “slap ya granny!” Okay well maybe not actually slap Granny, because if she is like mine she would probably take a hickory to my fanny If I looked like I was even thinking about it. But trust me, my Granny would be team Easton all the way!Once again paired with a powerful array of music, a song to listen to before you read each chapter, It just further transforms you into the magic that Kate Stewart has created. With a literary vision that is unmatched, this author gives us a story that is organic, poignantly authentic, and utterly mesmerizing. This book will run you through the gamut of feels before you are done with it. But it is a reading experience like no other, and one that I think everyone that reads any trope that falls under the romance genre, and is a music lover should get to experience. I honestly am jealous of anyone getting to experience reading this duet for the first time. Although I will be adding Reverse to my list of books I re-read at least once a year.( just like Drive has been for years) Six Sensational Supernova Stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Reverse by Kate Stewart delivers an emotionally charged story that captivated me from start to finish. While I enjoyed Drive, this sequel hit differently—and in many ways, I enjoyed it even more. Set in the next generation, it follows the children of the original characters, bringing a fresh and compelling twist while staying true to the powerful themes that made the first book unforgettable.Easton Crown absolutely stole my heart. He was 100% all in from the beginning, offering unwavering love and devotion that made it impossible not to root for him. Natalie, on the other hand, occasionally frustrated me with her hesitation and emotional barriers. Yet I completely understood where she was coming from, given the chaotic situation they were thrust into. Their journey was messy, heart-wrenching, and filled with moments that left me absolutely devastated. And yet, I couldn’t stop listening. The tension and raw emotion kept me hooked until the final chapter.The ending was pure perfection—every loose end tied up in a way that felt satisfying and authentic. The chaos that defined much of the story gave way to a beautiful resolution that made the entire journey worthwhile.The audiobook was a masterpiece. With Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell delivering a top-tier duet-style narration, the performances elevated the book to an entirely different level. Their chemistry and emotive delivery captured the essence of Easton and Natalie’s story, making every emotional beat hit even harder. It was truly a spectacular listening experience that I cannot recommend enough. Reverse is an unforgettable journey of love, redemption, and second chances.

In my review of Drive I referred to Author Kate Stewart as a seasoned cardiologist piecing our broken hearts into scarred masses that reside behind our breastbones. Someone, in that thread, referred or insinuated that her books border on psychological thriller. So continuing in the vein of medically aligned specialties, let's call Stewart a psychological warfare specialist, shall we?Granted, I have only the Ravenhood and now Bittersweet duology under my belt to make such a bold accusation, but if we're saying I feel personally attacked by the weapons of mass destruction she holds in her arsenal, I think 6.5 volumes of her work are enough to lay such claim boldly and loudly.Stewart outs herself not even seeing a future for a second book after penning her conclusion to Drive leaving us heartbroken for Nate and in total love with Stella and Reid's happy ever after. But to come up with the brilliant idea of gutting both Stella and Nate's relationships through their children - I think that is the definition of psychological warfare.No, her readers aren't her only victims. Her characters are directly in the line of fire. No one is spared from devastation as Kate sits behind her keyboard penning attack after attack against our emotional state of mind.A distinct difference between Ravenhood and this duology (and a half) is I went into the Ravenhood being outright told it was going to cause me emotional damages. And so I held off reading it until I needed that level of trauma. I knew nothing but that I was about to be mercilessly gutted.I didn't get any of that going into the Bittersweet duology. I was assuered tears and an emotional roller coaster. And it's exactly what I got. But I had no doubts Stella and Reid would get their happy ever after, just as I was 100% sure Stewart wasn't going to leave Natalie and Easton hanging even though putting them through the ringer without care to their poor battered and bruised hearts.But what I really think I got out of this book is the hidden gem that is the 5 year gap between stories. Don't get me wrong. Drive was nothing less than a 5-star read for me. But between Drive's 2017 publication date and Reverse's 2022 publication, she wrote and published all 3 main novels of the Ravenhood series (Flock, Exodus, The Finish Line). You can really see her growth as a writer and story teller. Her lines were so much deeper and definitely more refined for Natalie and Easton's story. I could have never read a single word of Drive, and I would still be able to experience the full whirlwind of emotions that must have taken place within those pages because of how well expressed it is in Reverse.Given my neurospicy brain, I tend to do a lot of skim reading when an author gets too wordy in their expository pasages, finding far too many authors tell instead of show. But I can say hands down I have read every word cover to cover inside each of the novels I have read penned by this talented woman. Many of them multiple times over because I need to relive the moments over and over. Stewart tells us little and shows us everything so spectacularly that it’s spellbinding, captivating. Crushing and healing all in the same moment.If I had to give another kudos to Stewart for Reverse, I would have to add that she says the words that need to be said instead of using a miscommunication trope to throw us off. The banter is amazingly on point - exactly what I both want and need the words to be - exactly the conversation I would have if I were sitting in the character's shoes. So few authors really get that right - and it's a huge pet peeve of mine in reading. But every time these character's speak in love, hate, hurt, or fear the words are absolutely perfect.