This Life and All the Rest

Next Life Duet, Book 2

By: Brit Benson

Narrated by: JF Harding, Lidia Dornet

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

She thinks our story is over. It’s just beginning.

Lennon Washington has been the star of every dream, every nightmare, since the day I lost her. Since the moment I let my demons win and she slipped through my fingers.

Her memory has haunted me. Changed me. Broken me and remade me. And I’d all but given up on us.

Now tragedy has brought her back into my life. My secrets are at her disposal. Hers are unraveling quickly. And every emotion we’ve tried to deny is returning with a vengeance.

But we’re not kids anymore. We have changed drastically. And with each new ache, I start to wonder...

Is there a place for us in this life, or will we have to try again in the next one?

***

This Life and All the Rest is the conclusion to the Next Life Duet. It has a guaranteed HEA. It is necessary to listen to book one, The Love of My Next Life, before listening to this one.

©2022 Brit Benson Books (P)2023 Brit Benson Books

Brit puts our hearts back together

Book two of the Next Life Duet.. Lennon and Macon's story continues but my gosh they've been through a lot over the years! Brit promised she would make everything better...and I really questioned that and continued to question that throughout the entire book...hello angst old friend!

The absolute trauma and devastation they go through in order to find a way back to each other... and the way that Lidia Dornet and JF Harding convey the emotions throughout this entire story are mind-blowing. I sobbed with Lennon as she revealed her truths, I felt the passion between Lennon and Macon when they couldn't deny the electrical current pulsing between them and I cried happy tears as Macon realized he was worthy of love. And every step of the way Lidia and JF were there to enhance the experience!

I can be honest and say that the panic I felt throughout the first several chapters was real...and then slowly things start to make sense...but of course nothing is simple and I'm convinced Brit likes to take your heart out, stomp on it and then slowly heal it

Life lessons from Brit:
1) Everyone needs a friend like Sam and Casper.
2) Not everything is what it seems (communicate, communicate, communicate).
3) Love can conquer all.

A reminder that this duet is performed in duet narration (see what I did there 🤣). If you are newer to audio you may not realize that a duet series is different than a duet in audiobooks. Duet in the book world is when there are two books in which the story takes place compared to duet narration which involves a story performed by two people and each performer reads the dialogue of their characters across all chapters!

It's you and me. For real. Out loud. Forever.

Been waiting for that HEA in this, the second part of the Next Life Duet, have you? Well, put on your headphones, grab your tissues, and start listening. Macon and Lennon have a lot to go through before that HEA becomes even a speck on the horizon.

The Love of My Next Life set us up, gave us all the history and backstory, made us hopeful and afraid at the same time, and brought us to a turning point. What happened that called Lennon home? What has to change for her to end her self-exile in Paris and her estrangement from her family? Is it even possible?

Once again, narrators J. F. Harding and Lidia Dornet capture Macon and Lennon perfectly, but this time they’ve put a little maturity in their voices; it’s been four (yes, four) years. It’s no longer fevered teenage angst. It’s now adult longing and desire, but heavily overlaid with sorrow and regret and sadness, anger and deep bitterness.

What happened and is it fixable? The spark is still there. Actually, it’s not a spark but a wave of need, a current that flows between them. But Lennon has surrounded herself with a wall of refusal to give in again and Macon is torn between wanting to act on his impulses and fearing these are the addictions that will ruin him once and for all.

This Life and All the Rest is perfectly paced, alternating POVs between Lennon and Macon, and tugging at your heart strings each step of the way. Trent’s heart attack is the reason Lennon goes back to Virginia. This is a different Lennon than the girl banished to England, and she only intends to stay until Trent is well enough and then go back home to Paris. Author Brit Benson, however, carefully creates a collection of circumstances and chance meetings that almost immediately throw Macon and Lennon together again. That tingle of awareness when they come into each other’s presence is still strong, but something is off. Everybody knows what happened four years ago and since then – or do they? We start to realize neither they nor we have the full story. Macon says, “You’re the one who had the temper tantrum, who ran off,” and Lennon replies “I did what I had to do to survive.” Macon says, “I told you, I explained,” but Lennon says “That (little sticky) note?” Are they even talking about the same things?

It takes us – and them – a long time to get the full story. There are mysterious references to the past we don’t quite get. Trent relapses so Lennon must stay longer. Claire is still Claire, maybe even more so. Although now engaged to football-star-from-high-school Eric, she picks up right where she left off in high school, treating Lennon badly and questioning any time she spends with Macon. Casper and Sam are the opposite of Claire and we love them. The desire is constant, but each time hope starts to rise it’s dashed by uncovered secrets and revelations. Even the good things they uncover don’t seem to fit in this puzzle of misunderstanding. It is an absolutely delicious puzzle and you will enjoy (even while wiping away those tears) uncovering each piece of it. The phrases “It’s you and me. For real. Out loud. Forever,” and “You’re a good kid who’s going to be a good man,” and the significance of that pink butterfly clip will keep running through your head. You want this HEA!

I’m not going to add more detail and spoil the journey. Be assured the satisfyingly steamy scenes are all there (woo, can this author write!) and the ending is just what you’ve hoped for. Giddy Lennon, smiling ear-to-ear. Macon . . . well, who doesn’t love Macon? This is Macon with that crushing weight finally off him. Macon joyous, jubilant, exuberant. Macon who can’t keep his eyes, hands or lips off Lennon. Macon still with the sexy smirk but relaxed, fulfilled: “Lennon Capri Washington belongs with me. She knows it. I know it. Everyone else will figure it out soon enough.”

Thanks to Home Cooked Books and the author for providing an audio copy of This Life and All the Rest. Just as with the first book, I thoroughly enjoyed it, cried, laughed, worried and sighed all through it, and could not wait to get to the promised HEA. A final shout out to extraordinary narrators J. D. Harding and Lidia Dornet for taking author Brit Benson’s wonderful work and making it even more wonderful. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions are my own.

Note: there is some excellent bonus material you don’t want to miss available at the author’s website, authorbritbenson.com.

Wow

I needed this book to end well. These two went through so much they did not deserve. So many mistakes were made. Claire was an awful human. Must read the duet just prepare for a lot. Loved it.

Loved this!

Oh my sweet innocent child... if you think Brit Benson put you through the wringer in book 1, I have news for you...

It's been years since the last events in book 1 and Lennon now goes by Capri, lives in Paris and is a budding artist. She hasn't been back home often and she's fairly sure she's somewhat managed to get over Macon. When tragedy brings her back to town, she knows she will have to see him sooner or later. 

Macon has changed his life, turned it around, and he never ever managed to purge Lennon from his blood. When she comes back, he knows he'll have to face her and tell her a few things she never knew. What neither of them knows was that their lives were forever changed by events they had no control over and never knew were happening. Their love was toxic, incendiary... but the truth has a way of washing everything murky or dark. All they need to do is face it. 

OMG, what a ride! I pressed play on this audiobook and never stopped. What a wonderfully crafted second chance romance! Lidia Dornet and J.F. Harding reprise their roles as Lennon and Macon and they take you on a ride of angst and pain, regret and longing and they do a wonderful job!

There's so much love, devotion and hurt in this story and you understand how things were set in motion to keep these two apart. The secondary characters are pivotal in this and I really really need Brit to write Claire's book! Like, seriously!

Phew! What a ride! Love it!

Incredible ending to the duet

What an amazing end to this duet. Macon and Lennon have had so much growth between the first book and this one.

Brit’s writing really makes you feel all of the emotions of each character and make you feel like you are living this right along side of them.

Lennon and Macon were SO dang relatable for that reason alone, it made them SO easy to fall in love with and rooting for.

And yeah - you’ll definitely get your heart shattered after the first book but it’ll be put back together by the end of this duet.

I listened to this entire duet on audio and the narrators did an AMAZING job together.

Best Story I have listened to in 2023

I have no words. This duet was so amazing. The angst, tension, passion and love with these characters is everything a book needs. I read/listened to both books I’m the span of 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down!

Loved this series!!!!!

Love Brit! This series is a MUST read, loved all the characters and story lines, tears were shed, so, bring some tissues in the second series.

Twists and turns

Oh man these two could’ve solved a lot if they just learned to communicate better, but seeing how their life moved through every obstacle thrown their way was interesting. I had my own theory’s and turn of events but nothing was correct and when all the truths were revealed I was more than satisfied. Def a good read between dark romance!

Spectacular Performance!

Brit promised that with this book she would mend our broken hearts. TLAATR is book 2 in the Next Life duet and you must read book 1 first. I can’t form enough words to describe how amazing this duet is! And TLAATR fixed my heart and made me fall more in love with Macon than ever before. When we last saw Lennon in TLOMNL she was in Paris and received a text message telling her she needs to come home. After months of speculating what could cause Claire to text Lennon, we finally get our answer and that is part of the heartbreaking & warming journey throughout the story.

Before I go into Macon and Lennon’s love story, I want to mention one of my favorite relationships from this book. Sam & Lennon. I love that they remained friends. And Sam’s sign when she picks up Lennon from the airport had me cracking up. As the story goes on, we see flashbacks to how much Sam was there for Lennon in the past. But they also have a strong friendship in the present. And Lennon deserves it after being friends for so long with that b!+ch Claire.

I have so much love for Macon. All versions of Macon actually. If I lick him can I claim him as mine? He has my whole heart and I don’t know if any other book boyfriend will live up to him. Macon had so much growth in the 4 years since we last saw him. And you will be less angry with him in this book. He is a sweetheart and has figured out his life and is there for his family now. At one point he explains how he is an addict and everything he feels, he feels it intensely. That is how he loves Lennon, his love for her is so intense and overwhelming. Unfortunately it has caused him to make some bad decisions in the past but he is ready to make up for it.

Brit’s writing has this immense way of consuming you with the world. Her words make it impossible to put the book down. It is addicting and extraordinary and her characters feel so real. I love Lennon and Macon like they are people I know. I hate Claire like she is my personal enemy. The angst and the tension are just what I love about a good book. I love when characters have to work to find their HEA and Lennon and Macon certainly deserved the best ending. Thank you Brit for giving us these characters and taking us on this journey. But I will never stop asking why Claire isn’t de@d.

The audio for this is *chefs kiss* JF Harding is a perfect Macon, I loved his performance so much. Or maybe it's just because I adore Macon so much. But seriously he k!lls it with his performance and all the emotions that come with Macon. Lidia Dornet took pushover Lennon from book 1 to the strong and feisty Lennon in book 2 and I just love how she did that.

“We’re at our truest when we’re together.”

This Life And All The Rest is the angsty, heartbreakingly emotional conclusion to Lennon and Macon’s story. It’s just as messy and complicated and full of pain and misunderstanding as the first part of this duet, but we see these two characters come full circle and realize they are stronger together than apart.

Lennon has returned after being in Paris for four years and she is not the same person as before. Her life imploded after the events of the last book. Tragedy and pain and loss has hardened her and she is now guarded with her life. She shuts off her emotions and she is isolated from her family. I will admit that I didn’t like Lennon very much at first in this part of the story. She frustrated me with her inability to let Macon explain and with how hurtful she could be even though I could understand her hesitancy to believe and trust again. Once she began to soften, I started to see the real Lennon shine through.

My heart once again broke for Macon. He has turned his life around and is no longer the anger-filled, drug addicted boy that he was, but he is still struggling with feelings of not being enough. The amount of growth that Macon shows throughout this duet has been staggering. Throughout it all, his love for Lennon endures and is still so intense.

The path that these two traveled was destructive and angsty and full of so many feelings of loss, pain, betrayal and so much love. However, the connection that they shared endured throughout everything and their bond was a constant even through years of separation. The tension and passion in their relationship was absolutely electric. Once they stopped running and started being truly honest with each other, they finally realized that they made each other better and stronger.

Narrated in duet style by JF Harding and Lidia Dornet, the audio was perfection. These two embodied these characters and made the story come alive with each inflection in their voices. I was completely immersed in their storytelling, and I felt every emotion that the characters felt. Angst is my jam so I absolutely loved this brilliantly told duet. Macon and Lennon ripped my heart out at times, but in the end, the journey was so worth all the pain.