Review Only: Golden Hour by Campbell Reinhart

“Beautiful, sexy, and romantic. Golden Hour made me want to be best friends with Elise, fall madly in love with Caleb and brought the Louisiana setting to life before my eyes.”—NYRAE DAWN, International Bestseller of the Games Series 

“A captivating story that is raw, powerful, gritty, and topped off with a fiery love that stems from, and heals, different forms of loss.”– MOLLY MCADAMS, New York Times bestselling author 

In the medical field, the precious moments following a traumatic event in which you have the best chance of saving a life are known as the golden hour. 

But being there during the golden hour doesn't mean you'll be able to save the one you love... 

New Orleans native and ER nurse, Elise Dupuis knows that fact all too well. There was nothing she could do to save her fiancé, New Orleans police officer Mike Bazanac, when he was brought into her hospital with two fatal bullet wounds. 

Now everyone walks around on eggshells when she comes into the room—except her brother Charlie. As Mike's partner, he bears a guilt that's spiraled him into dark pain. Charlie is lashing out, Elise is turning in, and life seems to be falling apart around them. 

Caleb Warren knows what it feels like to always be on the losing end of things. A few criminal turns in his youth landed him two crap choices: mandatory service in the armed forces or jail. He chooses to enlist, and just when he finds a commander who has a little faith in him, their truck hits an IED. Caleb's training as a medic isn't enough to save the one person who's ever given a damn about him. 

Now back in New Orleans as an EMT, Caleb is bound and determined to drown himself in booze and regrets. But he crosses paths with nurse Elise Dupuis and finds a woman whose passion and courage gets under his skin in a way that wakes him up and makes him want to live again. 

Unfortunately, Charlie doesn't think the new EMT is good enough for his sister, and he’ll step outside the lines of the law to prove it to Elise. 

Caleb has to figure out what's worth fighting for…and how far he's willing to go for the woman he loves.

This is the first book I have read from the writing team of Campbell Reinhart nor have I read either of their novels they had written by themselves and I was pleasantly surprised.  Golden Hour was overall a well written romance that I was able to get through rather quickly.  I feel in love with the characters and I wanted them to find their way through the dark and find the light they are both searching for.

Elise Dupuis has just lost the love of her life.  He was a police officer and he was killed in the line of duty.  She goes through the motion each day as a nurse just moving in a fog.  He was her everything and now he is gone, she uses work to occupy her time.  Caleb Warren is fresh out of the Army now an EMT. He has also suffered loss when his best friend was killed in front of him. He feels like he should have been the one to die as he had no family to rely on. His best friend left a wife and son and now he is left with booze and women to ease the pain.   Their paths cross one night when Caleb brings in a patient to the hospital Elise works at.   They eventually go out for drinks and discover they are both barely living. They both have to go through the motions of life when someone they have loved has died. 

“And the loss of memories is leaving me empty. I don’t care if it’s callous, I don’t care I its greedy and heartless and shitty… I don’t want to live empty.  I don’t want this shallow, porous existence.  I have to fill myself up somehow, and this-this- is something I can get lost in. I can get lost in Caleb for now.”

When Elise’s brother who is a police office does some digging into Caleb’s background he doesn’t like what he sees.  Caleb has come clean to Elise about his past but that doesn’t stop her over bearing brother from getting in the middle of their relationship.  He blackmails Caleb to take another position leaving Elise alone again.  After a couple of weeks of being separated fate brings them back together and they are determined to now let circumstances get in the way of their happiness. 

“But I woke up because of you. I’m alive because of you.  Now I’m gonna fight like hell fo9r the life we could have.”

It’s a beautiful love story that will have you falling in love all over again.  They have both been through the darkest hours and the heartbreak that goes with it.  This story will have you believe in falling in love and finding that special someone when you thought it was impossible.  That you destined to be lonely and life not worthy of love.  This story is told in a dual POV and is the first installment in the Crescent City series but is a complete story.   4 stars.

Golden Hour
Book one in the Crescent City Series
By Campbell Reinhardt

Have you ever wished for a second chance? When born into unfortunate circumstances...can you change your fate? Do you believe that some have more than one soulmate?

In Golden Hour by Campbell Reinhardt these are some of the thought provoking questions the story evoked and had me ponder. This tale of loyalty, loss, redemption and second chances captivated my heart.

Elise Dupuis comes from a caring family with strong family bonds. Many in her family served in law enforcement and or nursing. These family traditions have shaped Elise to be the strong, ambitious and thoughtful lady that she is. But life circumstances had Elise reevaluating these qualities until she finds something worth paying more attention.

"Even her hallucinations are more peaceful than my reality sometimes."

Caleb Warren hasn't had the easiest life. But he has paid his dues, served his country and is moving on. He may be going about his daily routine with a lack of interest. That is until he meets a girl that makes his heart beat harder.

"I love the slow, sweet way she unravels under me and then around me. I'm tied tight to this beautiful woman, afraid for the first time in my life.."

My emotions were heightened from the predicament Caleb found himself in. I liked his tender ways. I could feel his desperation, sadness and passion in the pages of this tale. 

I have a major crush on Cale! He's been added to my book boyfriend list. He has it all the qualities I like in a fictional character. He's flawed and imperfectly perfect.

I've been to New Orleans and really found the descriptive setting and culture to be spot on and adored learning more about the south. Their descriptions of the setting enhanced the story and helped broaden the characters a bit.

I'm feeling that I need to revisit New Orleans soon cause I'm craving a Hurricane!!!!

I loved this poignant story. I do feel the authors wrapped it up a bit quickly in the end. I'm assuming that it was their intention.  I'm looking forward to book two Color of the Day about Charlie Dupuis. I've read numerous books by Campbell & Reinhardt. They are gifted writers that know how to pull you into a book quickly and have you truly invested in the heroine and hero of any story. Their books are usually packed with a bit of complication are always filled with a touch of spice and I find them to be all so nice!

Elise Dupuis

Caleb Warren

 Steph Campbell & Liz Reinhardt--writing together as CAMPBELL REINHARDT

Steph Campbell:

Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now calls Southwest Louisiana home. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession.

  

Liz Reinhardt:

Liz Reinhardt was born and raised in the idyllic beauty of northwest NJ. A move to the subtropics of coastal Georgia with her daughter and husband left her with a newly realized taste for the beach and a bloated sunscreen budget. Right alongside these new loves is her old, steadfast affection and longing for bagels and the fast-talking foul mouths of her youth.

She loves Raisinettes, even if they aren't really candy, the Oxford comma, movies that are hilarious or feature zombies, any and all books, but especially romance (the smarter and hotter, the better), the sound of her daughter's incessantly wise and entertaining chatter, and watching her husband work on cars in the driveway.