Want to know the true meaning of loving someone? Read this book and you will know what deep, uncompromising, and forever love is like.

Rose and Bastien make the most vulnerable and yet strong couple I have ever read. Her commitment to being with him, and his decision on how to live his life, are two things that will have you reading this book in one sitting.

Keep your tissues handy!

I’ve read a million stories over the last handful of years, but Dear Agony is THE ultimate love story. Rose and Bastien have the type of love most people crave…. unconditional love. Love isn’t always easy or pretty and their story shows what it means to stand by the one you love in sickness and in health.

Amazing!! I loved this book so much!! It was totally sucked in! Could not put it down!! The story was so heartbreaking and beautiful!! Georgia's writing was exceptional!! I cannot recommend this book enough!! So good!

The main thing that I loved about this book was the feelings and internal dialogue at the start. She invoked real feelings that women may feel. Not being pretty, not being good enough, but also made it deep then just that. I was still able to really connect with Rose and that made me love this story so much more.

As the story goes on and we meet Bastian the story take another turn. It's fast paced and my heart was so full, I cried, I laughed and I had so much hope for these characters. I won't do too much detail but the ending fit the story perfectly.

Overall, I loved Rose and Bastian. They were the perfect pair even with all their issues. The story was unique and heartbreaking but gave you hope. Seeing Rose overcome her past was a huge divas for me. My heard aches so much for Bastian but I understood where he was coming from the whole time. 5 stars #2OCCJD

*I received a free copy by NetGalley.

OK, so once again I find myself giving a 3 star rating to a NetGalley book. In this case, the problem was that the beginning is so great, so promising, so 5 stars worthy, that the rest of the book just fell short.
I certainly wasn't expecting what I read, i wasn't expecting that very dramatic (spoiler comparation ahead WARNING) the fault in our stars-like development of events.

In my case, it was the least bit cringe-worthy, as it ended up being the central part of the story, instead of the original 'hobo girl turned rich' aspect (no offense intended).

Omg this book -all the feels. I went in blind and it was so worth it. I am not going to post any spoilers or even the plot.

I love the character of Rose, her strength and resolve. I feel really invested in the characters.

I would recommend this to my friends as a beach or rainy day read ... so many feels.

ARC generously provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rose knows all about a hard life and never being loved or cared for, agony is her constant companion. Then when a woman approaches her while she is street performing in New Orleans trying to earn some money for a meal her fortune may actually be changing.

Rose is not about to compromise who she is or what she believes in however this woman is offering her a new life, a chance to be someones companion and to be taken care of while not becoming a prostitute. However Rose soon becomes friends with this woman and is learning more about running the business then being in the business, until Bastien Pascal gives an offer that cannot be refused.

Rose is completely surprised by Bastien, he is nothing like she expects and they soon learn that they do make excellent companions. The only problem is Bastien is keeping a secret one that will welcome Agony right back into Rose's life.

I really liked this story as well as the characters. Rose is strong and fierce and you cannot help but feel for Bastien while wanting to smack him at the same time. The ending is a bit sad, especially since you know what is to come however it is realistic and adds to the authenticity of the story.

Georgia Cates has written another winner. What I really like about her is she brings the heat with the heart. This is a very unique and emotional story. I was not ready for it to end, but I couldn't put it down!

Dear Agony was so much more than I could ever put into words. It hooked me from the very beginning and once I started I couldn't put it down. Seriously, I was up until 3 am devouring every word!
Rose is given a life changing opportunity when Vale finds her on the streets. After 19 years of surviving the worst of circumstances she completely transforms her life, and finally able to put her agony behind her and become a person she never dreamed she could be.
Bash is wealthy, successful, and keeping a life changing secret. Although he is extremely lonely, he allows his secret to keep him from finding true love & happiness.
Full of angst, friendship & love this story is the definition of slow burn. Throughout the book I found myself smiling, laughing & tearing up. Definitely one of my top reads of 2017, I highly recommend this to anyone looking for their next incredible read.
This was my first book by Georgia Cates, and it definitely won't be my last.

Love this book. Keeps you reading til the bitter end. It's a page turner that you won't want to put down.. Characters are well thought out and true to life. Have kleenex handy as you will need them throughout the story.

Glad for the way things progressed in the book.

Keep up the awesome writing.

Rose is a homeless street performer doing what she can to survive when a beautiful sophisticated woman propositions her. With limited options, she accepts and finds a life she never even dreamed of as well as a self-confidence she didn’t know she could own. When she is placed as a companion to Bastien Pascal, her world takes another turn. Who knew that life could be so much better? What develops between these two characters is companionship to friends to lovers. And it is a beautiful story.

I loved both Rose and Bastien. Their relationship just felt so real and the fact that it spans months into years just added a depth to it not normally found in romance books. Bastien does make an absolute a-hole decision, several to be honest. And even if I wanted to give him several good wallops, I understood his motivation. Rose was exactly what he needed at a time when he needed it the most, even if he refused to be swayed by her presence in his life.

This was an incredible read and not at all what I was expecting. It is not a storyline I’ve read before and despite the heavy angst, found it refreshing in its uniqueness. This is my first Georgia Cates book and if her other works are a fraction of this one, I’m all in for digging into her backlist.

ARC provided by NetGalley

Dual POV
Other woman drama but H doesn’t cheat at all
Triggers

I loved it, devour it! The relationship these two have is beautiful and meaningful. They didn't just looked at each other and just knew. No, they became friends first and grew to a precious and strong bond. I felt desperate sometimes when I read and they where taking their time to be true to their feelings. To express them. Time is important in this story. You have a woman (Rose) that started to live how she deserved when she met Bastien and V. And you have him, a man that until he met Rose he didn't truly felt the meaning of life and love.

This one was not quite what I was expecting. In the beginning, the 'companion' angle was a little strange and I was worried it would be come too cliche. I was wrong. It made for a very interesting dynamic between the two characters that would have been lost without the 'official' capacity of Duets. I very much fell in love with Vale and hope that there will be more in the future with her. The ending leaves you both happy, but with reservations. The future is always uncertain, but more so for this beautiful family. I think the author did a very good job with Rose's backstory and emotional state at the start of this book.

This book was mind blowing,I just couldn't put it down till I'd finished it. Another amazing story from this author. This is a sad and heart warming love story which will keep you reading long into the night. I'd have the tissues at the ready while reading this book. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book

In Dear Agony, Rose is plucked from the streets of New Orleans by a woman who wishes to transform her from a homeless performer to an elegant companion. No longer hungry and dirty, Rose learns all she needs to know to survive in the posh world new world she's entering. She thinks she is prepared for the man she will work for, but Rose wasn't expecting Bastien Pascal. He's successful, confident, nice, good looking and a whole lot younger than she expected. Living and spending time with Bastien won't be hard, but not acting on her attraction to him will be. Rose's feelings toward Bastien are complicated, and they'll become even more complicated when Bastien's secret is exposed.

When I started Dear Agony I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole paid companion story line. My thoughts mirrored Rose's. I just didn't think the men the women worked for wouldn't expect sex. It made me slightly uncomfortable for some reason. The minute I met Bastien, my thoughts changed. His reason behind hiring Rose was not what I was expecting.

I loved everything about Rose and Bastien's relationship. Their attraction was instant, but the relationship grew over time. Roe and Bastien knew every good and bad thing about each other. They had a lot of battles to fight against each other and together. Their love story was truly a journey. Moments of it reminded me slightly of Jojo Moyes' Me Before You. Dear Agony was its own story, but it gave me some of the same feelings at times.

Dear Agony was a beautifully written and emotional story. It brought tears to my eyes. Readers who like emotionally deep romances will love this book.

Dear Agony by Georgia Cates, took me by surprise with its mind-blowing originality, well-defined characters, and emotional upheavals. The two main characters light up the pages with their genuineness, need for companionship, and ability to love.

Rose Middleton was homeless, penniless and hungry when Vale took notice and offered her a place to live. She welcomed Rose into her home and business, which changed Rose's troubled life forever. Vale's legitimate foundation specializes in mutually beneficial relationships, and sex is not a requirement. Companionship is what she provides to her clients, and occasionally that evolves into more. Overtime, Rose becomes Vale's assistant and confidant, while earning a business degree from Tulane. When Vale's best friend Bastien wants Rose for a companion, Vale reluctantly but happily agrees. This is what Rose was trained to become and Bastien is both a wonderful and handsome man. His successful real estate business keeps him wealthy and wise.

The friendship between Rose and Bastien develops slowly, and overtime they become best friends, coworkers and lovers. Neither of them thought they would fall in love with each other, and their sexual chemistry is undeniable. Sadly, due to a health issue, their future as a couple and a family is difficult to navigate.

To begin with, I love the cover, because it is both hot and sexy. Secondly, I loved how Ms. Cates evolved Rose and Bastien's relationship with trust, companionship, and some scorching heat. Rose's ability to work through her past was inspirational, as she embraced her new future with gusto. Bastien's situation is heartbreaking, and I found his decisions about his future to be understandable. Overall, this is a well-written romance with a plot that kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a DNF for me. I didn't like the beginning. I struggled with the book, and when I knew where it was going, I finally gave up.

There is so much I want to say about this breathtaking story yet I will hold myself from doing that so that you will get to experience the full effect of it.

Rose & Bastian's first meeting had me on pin in needles, would it be love at first sight, would they have an instant connection, would Rose finally have that "one person" that would be there for her?

I loved that it was written in dual POV because I get to hear Bastian's true feelings!! Rose & Bastian's journey was not an easy one due to Bastian's past and future but she made sure to show and tell him what he meant to her even if it wasn't what he wanted to hear.

I wanted to smack some sense into Bastian many times yet I realized that Rose's actions would do that on their own. Their story had me smiling, sighing and in tears wishing I could change the future for them. So be prepared to get lost in their story and fall in love with them!

I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I will leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that... my opinions.

I was captivated with this story from the very first page and read this book in one sitting. I loved everything about this story; the storyline and the flow of the story was absolutely perfect. I enjoyed all of the characters. What do you do when someone offers you something you desperately need? You consider the hell out of it, weigh the pros and cons, accept the offer to better yourself, then master the hell out of the skills you learn so you are never in that same situation or position again and thats exactly what one character did. Vale was the perfect leader, Rose was the perfect prodigy, Bastien was charming and sweet and Wendy will try anything to get what she wants, making them the perfect characters for this amazing read. This story focuses on Val, Rose, Wendy and Bastien and this is a standalone story you don't want to miss. You feel the connection between the characters; some fleeting, some long lasting but everything felt real. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to read my next book from this author.

Couldn't put this book down! A great read from beginning to end