Boone: A Pittsburgh Titans Novel

Sawyer Bennett just delivered a devastatingly beautiful read. This book is so much more than just romance, it’s a story of bravery in spite of life’s challenges, the resilience to keep moving when all you want to do is fall apart, and in the middle of it all finding that one person that completes you in ways you didn’t even realize was possible. Lilly and Boone’s story will forever hold a special place.

Let me preface this review with have tissues ready and I recommend not reading/listening to this in a public place.

Sawyer Bennett gutted me with this book. For most readers/listeners, you'll understand the subject matter is tense/stressful/worrying. But for me, it was personal. For the last six months I have been dealing with a similar situation so this story hit very close to home for me. It scared me. Even with all of the reassurances I've gotten, it still makes me question life and my mortality.

Jeremy York and Stella Hunter bring out all of the emotions. The joy and fun celebrating the little milestones. The birthday party with all of the Titans. And the grief and sorrow for the setbacks. The emotional roller coaster was quite the ride with these two.

Oh Sawyer Bennett what you did to me, what this story did to me and my heart, wow, just wow. It is not a secret that this “Pittsburgh Titans” series is one of my favorite series, and the Titans one of my favorite fictional sports teams, each character just as amazing as the next, and I probably fell in love with each one of them, but Boone Rivers has just taken the top spot. He is genuinely a nice guy, moved from the second line to cover for Coen Hightower when he was suspended and when Coen returned to his position, they moved Boone to another position in the first line, a right winger, and he excelled in that position. When not playing on the ice or busy with team events, he and other members of the team volunteer at the children’s hospital. While there, he meets the most courageous boy, Aiden, a twelve-year-old battling leukemia. Aiden captured his heart and Boone was more than happy to spend time with him, his older sister, Lilly, too. Lilly Hoffman had a lot on her plate, her father could not handle the stress and decided the best way to deal with it was to not deal with it and he just drank the stress away. So Lilly is doing it all, running the family business, a deli, taking care of the home bills and trying to be there for Aiden as much as she could. Boone saw this and wanted to help make things easier for her so she could just focus on her brother. I loved how easy these two got along, how he never even realized the attraction he felt towards, even denying it when his teammates called him out on it. Even Aiden saw it and gave his approval, got to love that kid. Lilly does not have time for relationships, has lived her life taking care of others, leaving her no time for herself. When Boone asks what her dreams are, they are simple, but you know he wants to make them happen for her. These characters were so real and relatable, you can not help but root for them the entire time, especially Aiden. I loved how the team steps up and comes together for Aiden at Boone’s request, they truly are a brotherhood and along with their significant others a family. It was great to see them again and all they do. Each book in the series has been an emotional journey, this one hits home and is definitely the heaviest on emotions. Ms. Bennett made me cry, a lot, she keeps it all real. It is a beautifully written and told story, one that moved me like no other and one that will stick with me for a very long time. Thank you for another amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧 And for fantastic narration, Jeremy York and Stella Hunter were the perfect cast to bring these characters and story to life. They did an amazing job portraying the characters, giving each a voice that was fitting and believable. Hunter grasps every aspect of Lily’s personality, from her caring and nurturing side to her strength and determination. York nailed it as Boone, also grasping all sides of his personality, from his deep understanding to his caring and protective side. Both were fabulous performing the roles of the secondary characters, including Aiden, who was adorable and so brave, smart beyond his years. They set the right tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. These two are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another wonderful listen.