Toe the Line

Penelope Ward

Feb 2023 · Penelope Ward Books, Inc.

About this ebook

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade…

At first, I thought I’d hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents’ friends.

What I knew about Archie: he was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn’t exist when we were younger.

When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.

The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude.

After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father’s expectations.

Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.

I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line.

When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again.

Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.

You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other?

Let’s just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would’ve never expected.

And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.

Ratings and reviews

TOE THE LINE by Penelope Ward is a contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on chef Archie Remington and journalist Noelle Benedict.TOE THE LINE is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love; a story of love and loss, acceptance and second chances. The premise is emotional and heart breaking; the romance is seductive; the characters are determined and dynamic.

I loved Noelle and Archie! Noelle is eighteen and off to college, and Archie is twenty one and about to start law school when they meet officially at their parents’ beach house in Maine. Their parents are best of friends. Noelle thinks Archie is stuck up until she gets to know him. Archie does not have that many true friends. That first summer is woven throughout the book. Penelope crafts a beautiful story of friends, almost lovers, to lovers. This story gripped me from the very beginning

Toe the Line is a standalone, friends to lovers that has a veritable slow burn. The story delves into past and present over many years and the sizzling chemistry between these best friends seems hard to ignore. Due to certain family circumstances and other life choices, Archie and Noelle seem to toe the line to keep their friendship just that, as best friends. However as years go by, its always each other they have to count on. Will these two ever be together or just lifelong friends. Loved it

About the author

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.