The Gritty Truth

This story is of a recovered addiction and a physically recovering ballerina, both recovering from their pasts. It does not shirk away from the deep emotions of addiction, both in memory from others exposing him to it in childhood and from personal abuse of substances. Nor does it shy from the emotional toll it has on its victims. The characters are real and honest. There are two kinds of romantic love - the fire that catches on and burns like fireworks and the slow burn which grows strong over time and maintains. While the fireworks are exciting and hot, the slow burn overcomes fears and obstacles. This is a slow burn romance. At times it is frustratingly slow paced, but the end result comes fast enough and, most likely importantly, they get a HEA.
This story acts almost like a perfect example, a manual of sorts, as to what addicts go through through emotionally. It’s a story about family and friends underscored by the romance.

One of the deterrents to reading a series about relationships is that there are too many names to keep up with. Relevant information is given along the way, but you sometimes have to slow down and really think about who is being referred to. It makes for less of an easy read at times. It’s not a huge issue but it is something to note, particularly if you’ve read books outside of the series between and when names are similar.

4.5 stars--THE GRITTY TRUTH is the seventh instalment in Melissa Foster’s contemporary, adult The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor, erotic romance series. This is recovering addict and bookstore employee Quincy Gritt, and twenty-four year old dance instructor Veronica ‘Roni’ Wescott’s story line. THE GRITTY TRUTH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading TRU BLUE for back story and history. Quincy is the brother of Truman Gritt (Tru Blue #1).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Quincy and Roni) THE GRITTY TRUTH follows the building romance and relationship between recovering addict and bookstore employee Quincy Gritt, and twenty-four year old dance instructor Veronica ‘Roni’ Wescott. Months earlier Roni’s friends bid on, and won a date for Roni at the Whiskey Bro’s bachelor auction with our hero Quincy Gritt but Roni struggled to make time for the man that stirred something deep within our story line heroine. Persistent and determined to get a date with Roni Wescott, Quincy makes plans to seduce our heroine starting with a surprise picnic in the back of his truck and a scavenger hunt where anything and everything is possible. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Roni and Quincy, and the potential fall-out as Quincy’s past is determined to destroy our story line hero.

Quincy Gritt is broken; a recovering addict who struggles in the face of past regrets, mistakes and the fall-out of his own mother’s addictions on the children she left behind. Revealing the truth to Roni may threaten everything Quincy had hoped for including a future with our story line heroine. Roni Westcott was a burgeoning star at the Julliard School of Dance but an accident destroyed her hopes for the future, as well as our heroine’s self-esteem. Secrets will be revealed; issues of trust must be addressed but the past refuses to let go when the truth comes to light, and Quincy, once again, must face the demons that destroyed his life.

The relationship between Quincy and Roni is one of immediate attraction when Roni’s friends ‘won’ Quincy at the local bachelor auction. For months Quincy and Roni danced around their attraction to one another as Roni battled between head and heart believing her scars would detract from a potential love. The $ex scenes are intimate, intense and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and familiar secondary and supporting characters including Whiskey patriarch Biggs and his wife Red; Gemma, Tru, Lincoln and Kennedy (Tru Blue #1), Bear and Crystal (Truly, Madly Whiskey #2), Bullet and Finlay (Driving Whiskey Wild #3), Sarah and Bones (Wicked Whiskey Love #4), Josie and Jed (Mad About Moon #5), Dixie Whiskey and Jace Stone (Taming My Whiskey #6); Quincy’s friend Penny Wilson and Scott Beckley; Dark Knights’ nomad Desmond ‘Diesel’ Black and Tracey Kline; Simone Davidson, as well as several characters with cameo appearances. Little Lincoln is priceless and ‘booful’ Penny and Scott’s story is next in the novella In for a Penny, and Diesel and Tracey’s story Running on Diesel.

THE GRITTY TRUTH is an emotional and heart breaking story of addiction and recovery; power and abuse; secrets, revelations, vengeance and love. The premise is profound and real; the characters are animated, impassioned, broken but healing; the romance is spicy, imaginative and flirty. Melissa Foster’s THE GRITTY TRUTH looks at courage, recovery, challenges, and acceptance wrapped in a package of romance and love.

What a sweet love story! I love Quincy and Roni. They were so perfect for each other. His thoughtfulness to her brought me to tears so many times.,They both had to overcome so many things in life and it shows that with the right support even when you hit rock bottom you can find your way back to the top. I felt every emotion and moment with them that I had to stay up all night reading this one. I believe this is my absolute favourite In the series.