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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated A Good Neighborhood in Books
Mar 26, 2020
Oak Knoll is a close-knit multiracial neighborhood in North Carolina where everyone looks out for one another. Valerie Alston-Holt, a professor and single mother, has raised her biracial son, Xavier, there since he was small. Their calm life changes, however, when the Whitman family moves in next door. First they raze the current house and build a "Mcmansion," whose very existence threatens the health of Valerie's beloved historic oak tree. Brad Whitman is a local celebrity, known for his charisma and commercials for his company, Whitman HVAC. His wife, Julia, has long escaped her trailer park days and is now raising her daughters Julia and Lily in a privilege she once dreamed of. But soon the Alston-Holts and Whitmans find them themselves fighting over the oak tree's well-being and then, the budding romance between Julia and Xavier.
"An upscale new house in a simple old neighborhood. A girl on a chaise beside a swimming pool, who wants to be left alone. We begin our story here, in the minutes before the small event that will change everything."
This book took my heart and spit it right out again. Oh my goodness. It's a different, beautiful, and absolutely heartbreaking read. We're told from the very beginning--by our omniscient third person narrator--that something bad is going to happen. And yet, I lived in denial that this was true. I devoured this book in two halves. It's utterly engrossing, and the characters just pop off the pages. The teens, especially. Oh Juniper and Xavier. I will not easily forget either of you.
A Good Neighborhood tackles a host of timely topics, and it handles all of them deftly. Race, religion, sexism, feminism--none of these are exempt in the pages of this novel. We see whiteness as a symbolism for purity, and we watch as Juniper struggles with the set of values being pushed upon her by her mother and stepfather, including a "purity vow" to remain both a virgin and loyal to her future husband. And then there's Xavier, a talented musician, who has been raised by his strong mother after his father's death. She wants so much for her son to do anything, but yet lives in fear because he is biracial. Juniper, Xavier, and Valerie were such powerful characters.
I do not want to give much of the plot away, but I can tell you that this book is heartbreaking and beautiful. It will get you to think about racism and sexism. The strong themes of good versus evil are presented in such a unique and compelling manner. Adding the third-person piece just gives an extra piece to the story. This book is incredibly well-written and will stay with you for quite some time. 4.5 stars.
"An upscale new house in a simple old neighborhood. A girl on a chaise beside a swimming pool, who wants to be left alone. We begin our story here, in the minutes before the small event that will change everything."
This book took my heart and spit it right out again. Oh my goodness. It's a different, beautiful, and absolutely heartbreaking read. We're told from the very beginning--by our omniscient third person narrator--that something bad is going to happen. And yet, I lived in denial that this was true. I devoured this book in two halves. It's utterly engrossing, and the characters just pop off the pages. The teens, especially. Oh Juniper and Xavier. I will not easily forget either of you.
A Good Neighborhood tackles a host of timely topics, and it handles all of them deftly. Race, religion, sexism, feminism--none of these are exempt in the pages of this novel. We see whiteness as a symbolism for purity, and we watch as Juniper struggles with the set of values being pushed upon her by her mother and stepfather, including a "purity vow" to remain both a virgin and loyal to her future husband. And then there's Xavier, a talented musician, who has been raised by his strong mother after his father's death. She wants so much for her son to do anything, but yet lives in fear because he is biracial. Juniper, Xavier, and Valerie were such powerful characters.
I do not want to give much of the plot away, but I can tell you that this book is heartbreaking and beautiful. It will get you to think about racism and sexism. The strong themes of good versus evil are presented in such a unique and compelling manner. Adding the third-person piece just gives an extra piece to the story. This book is incredibly well-written and will stay with you for quite some time. 4.5 stars.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters #1) in Books
Feb 24, 2020
Enemies to Lovers (4 more)
Sunshine Character with a Grumpy Character
Invisible Illness Representation
Amazing Characters
Great Banter
Best Romance of 2019
I read this book a few months ago, thanks to Libro.fm's influencer program. I saw quite a few of my favorite blogs reviewing/talking about this book, so I knew I had to read it. I've waited a while to write this book review simply because I loved it so much. Get A Life, Chloe Brown is one of those books that will stay with you for a while after. I struggled to write this book review because nothing will do justice to how much I loved this book. I seriously want to shove it into everyone's hands and tell them to read it.
The narration for this book was outstanding. Adjoa Andoh narrated this book to perfection. Her voices, her attitude, everything was executed incredibly well. I always knew who was talking and never once questioned her narration. She brought this story to life & I loved every second of it.
What I loved the most about this book was the banter. Seriously, Talia Hibbert should get an award for verbal sparring. As you all know by now, banter is my catnip & I couldn't help but squee at the interactions between Red & Chloe. The author genuinely made me love each character more than I thought possible. Both Characters were realistic and had their faults. I loved seeing them work through their issues and grow.
I also loved that this book included so many of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers is hands down one of my favorite tropes, so when paired with a sunshine character with a grumpy character, I was in heaven. Talia Hibbert also executed the enemies to lover trope incredibly well. This trope is hit, or miss and so many things can go wrong. The fact that this was done to perfection still has me wowed.
I wouldn't do this book justice if I didn't mention that Talia Hibbert also handled invisible illnesses, domestic abuse, and some hard-hitting issues with compassion and accuracy. I loved that Chloe has fibromyalgia, and I genuinely appreciated how accurate it was. I also was thankful that this illness was present but didn't define Chloe. Chloe was three dimensional, and fibromyalgia didn't make up the core basis for who she was. It was beautiful to see Chloe as the main character, and I appreciated how well this story came together.
As you can tell, I loved this book. It's probably one of my all-time favorite books I have read. I loved the banter, the tropes, and the execution. Talia Hibbert should write a master class on banter. I honestly can't wait to dive into her backlist and have bought this book the second I could.
The narration for this book was outstanding. Adjoa Andoh narrated this book to perfection. Her voices, her attitude, everything was executed incredibly well. I always knew who was talking and never once questioned her narration. She brought this story to life & I loved every second of it.
What I loved the most about this book was the banter. Seriously, Talia Hibbert should get an award for verbal sparring. As you all know by now, banter is my catnip & I couldn't help but squee at the interactions between Red & Chloe. The author genuinely made me love each character more than I thought possible. Both Characters were realistic and had their faults. I loved seeing them work through their issues and grow.
I also loved that this book included so many of my favorite tropes. Enemies to lovers is hands down one of my favorite tropes, so when paired with a sunshine character with a grumpy character, I was in heaven. Talia Hibbert also executed the enemies to lover trope incredibly well. This trope is hit, or miss and so many things can go wrong. The fact that this was done to perfection still has me wowed.
I wouldn't do this book justice if I didn't mention that Talia Hibbert also handled invisible illnesses, domestic abuse, and some hard-hitting issues with compassion and accuracy. I loved that Chloe has fibromyalgia, and I genuinely appreciated how accurate it was. I also was thankful that this illness was present but didn't define Chloe. Chloe was three dimensional, and fibromyalgia didn't make up the core basis for who she was. It was beautiful to see Chloe as the main character, and I appreciated how well this story came together.
As you can tell, I loved this book. It's probably one of my all-time favorite books I have read. I loved the banter, the tropes, and the execution. Talia Hibbert should write a master class on banter. I honestly can't wait to dive into her backlist and have bought this book the second I could.
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Feng Shui is the study of chi (or ki) energy; how it flows, how it interacts with other energies,...
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Before seeing the movie I had never come across Deadpool. He was sneakily hiding behind the other characters flipping bunny ears and running away giggling. We of course saw Wade Wilson in the Wolverine origin film but in a more serious (yet still with a tinge of humour) role. He was no indication of what to expect.
Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Wade Winston Wilson AKA Deadpool started life as a supervillain before the unstable mercenary became firmly set as everyone's favourite anti-hero.
Name: Wade Winston Wilson [possibly?].
AKA: Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth.
Alliances: Pretty much anyone.
Abilities: Healing, master of martial arts, swordsmanship and marksmanship, extended lifespan, a way with words, destroyer of the fourth wall, advanced distraction techniques.
There was the distinct worry that the film would be awful. An entertaining trailer has been known to turn to disappointment when you suddenly realise... that was all the good bits.
On my way to the screening I stopped at my comic book store and someone had just been in who'd already brought tickets to two showings... that seemed a bit dangerous.
The queue was much as I expected, headed up by a devout geek who had clearly been waiting a long time in position, groups of lads exchanging comic book and film trivia. I overheard a rather in depth Star Wars talk that went straight over my head. More couples than I expected were queueing, and I still think that some of the women heard "Ryan Reynolds film" and misunderstood... I'm sure that's not the reason all of them were there or course. But as it goes, I was definitely the only unaccompanied woman there.
A woman seeing a superhero movie on her own... hell yes!
There's action, there's comedy, there's romance and there's sex. Something for everyone as they say. Unless you're easily offended... in which case it's probably best to stay at home and watch something on the Food Network.
I love the fact that they kept in the bits that other films would have cut out. All the daft bits that really capture the Deadpool humour. That cab ride was ridiculous... and totally what lone travellers do in a cab on their own... well apart from climbing into the front seat. But if I kept telling you what I loved we'd be here for hours.
My main pressing concern is how am I going to cope with superhero movies after this? Yeah you get the little "in" jokes, and of course the Stan Lee cameos make me smile every time, but that fourth wall is going to be there, and it's going to be made of vibranium. All future films are going to be haunted by the cinematic ghost of Deadpool.
Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza, Wade Winston Wilson AKA Deadpool started life as a supervillain before the unstable mercenary became firmly set as everyone's favourite anti-hero.
Name: Wade Winston Wilson [possibly?].
AKA: Deadpool, Merc with a Mouth.
Alliances: Pretty much anyone.
Abilities: Healing, master of martial arts, swordsmanship and marksmanship, extended lifespan, a way with words, destroyer of the fourth wall, advanced distraction techniques.
There was the distinct worry that the film would be awful. An entertaining trailer has been known to turn to disappointment when you suddenly realise... that was all the good bits.
On my way to the screening I stopped at my comic book store and someone had just been in who'd already brought tickets to two showings... that seemed a bit dangerous.
The queue was much as I expected, headed up by a devout geek who had clearly been waiting a long time in position, groups of lads exchanging comic book and film trivia. I overheard a rather in depth Star Wars talk that went straight over my head. More couples than I expected were queueing, and I still think that some of the women heard "Ryan Reynolds film" and misunderstood... I'm sure that's not the reason all of them were there or course. But as it goes, I was definitely the only unaccompanied woman there.
A woman seeing a superhero movie on her own... hell yes!
There's action, there's comedy, there's romance and there's sex. Something for everyone as they say. Unless you're easily offended... in which case it's probably best to stay at home and watch something on the Food Network.
I love the fact that they kept in the bits that other films would have cut out. All the daft bits that really capture the Deadpool humour. That cab ride was ridiculous... and totally what lone travellers do in a cab on their own... well apart from climbing into the front seat. But if I kept telling you what I loved we'd be here for hours.
My main pressing concern is how am I going to cope with superhero movies after this? Yeah you get the little "in" jokes, and of course the Stan Lee cameos make me smile every time, but that fourth wall is going to be there, and it's going to be made of vibranium. All future films are going to be haunted by the cinematic ghost of Deadpool.
Kamasutra Mastery
Catalogs and Health & Fitness
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Designed with the adventurous in mind! This delightful new App will give you access to multiple...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated One Night on the Island in Books
Feb 14, 2022
Cleo is heading to the remote Irish island of Salvation for work, but it's personal too. She's about to turn thirty, an age her father never reached, and she's trying to reconcile where she is in life. A columnist who writes about finding love, she's yet to discover it herself. On Salvation, she plans to "self-couple"--a concept brought up by her boss, but Cleo can't help but feel there's something to finding herself. As for Mack Sullivan, he's heading to Salvation to research his ancestry and photograph the island he's heard so much about from his mother and grandmother. Escaping his estranged wife and crumbling life is a bonus, though he'll miss his two sons terribly. It's only when they arrive on the island that Mack and Cleo realize they've booked the same one room cottage--a terrible mix-up on a tiny island with no other accommodations. Forced to live together until the next ferry arrives, the two can barely stand being in the same space. But as time passes on the lovely island, their attitudes change.
This is a very slow moving, slow burn romance that focuses on being thoughtful and deliberate in its descriptions. There's less action and a lot of focus on the island and tons and tons of focus on Cleo and Mack's emotions and thoughts. So many thoughts, so much angst!
As for my thoughts... seriously, even on a small island, no one had a spare room? Not even a little one? Enjoying this book means buying into the premise that two complete strangers were truly willing to share a ONE ROOM cottage--sleeping across from another in a bed and a sofa. Thanks but no thanks. Also odd was Cleo's self-coupling (aka marrying herself) concept, which both she and her boss seemed quite into and even Mack accepted. Hmm...
Far more delightful was Salvation Island and its inhabitants. I could have read an entire book just focused on the enjoyable folks Cleo and Mack ran across, particularly the women Cleo joined at knitting circle and the lively group who gathered at the local pub. And while there were plenty of descriptions of this island, some were quite fun (otters!).
The book is told in a back and forth point of view from Cleo and Mack. They grow on you. It's not their fault they were trapped in the same lodge. This one was a little too slow and emotional for me in the beginning, but I still got a bit tearful at the ending.
I received a copy of this book from Random House / Ballantine and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This is a very slow moving, slow burn romance that focuses on being thoughtful and deliberate in its descriptions. There's less action and a lot of focus on the island and tons and tons of focus on Cleo and Mack's emotions and thoughts. So many thoughts, so much angst!
As for my thoughts... seriously, even on a small island, no one had a spare room? Not even a little one? Enjoying this book means buying into the premise that two complete strangers were truly willing to share a ONE ROOM cottage--sleeping across from another in a bed and a sofa. Thanks but no thanks. Also odd was Cleo's self-coupling (aka marrying herself) concept, which both she and her boss seemed quite into and even Mack accepted. Hmm...
Far more delightful was Salvation Island and its inhabitants. I could have read an entire book just focused on the enjoyable folks Cleo and Mack ran across, particularly the women Cleo joined at knitting circle and the lively group who gathered at the local pub. And while there were plenty of descriptions of this island, some were quite fun (otters!).
The book is told in a back and forth point of view from Cleo and Mack. They grow on you. It's not their fault they were trapped in the same lodge. This one was a little too slow and emotional for me in the beginning, but I still got a bit tearful at the ending.
I received a copy of this book from Random House / Ballantine and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Eight Perfect Hours in Books
Oct 28, 2021
Noelle Butterby has recently broken up with her boyfriend of twelve years, Ed. Ed found Noelle pathetic for staying home to take care of her ill Mum and therefore being unwilling to travel to the States with him for a new job. But for Noelle, it's more than that. Her family obligations are both confining and all she has--leaving her unable to fulfill her own dreams, including opening her own flower shop. On her way to her university reunion--the first time she's been out in ages--Noelle finds herself trapped on a snowy roadway. With traffic stalled for hours, she meets Sam, the man in the car next to hers. They form a small friendship over the eight hours they're stuck, bonding while she charges her phone and they forage for food. In those few hours, Noelle is truly, actually happy. But the roadway is cleared and Sam drives off. Yet, somehow, after their snowy time together, the universe seems to continue to throw Sam and Noelle together. Each is dealing with their own relationship woes, but they feel drawn to one another. Are Sam and Noelle meant to be? And can Noelle find her own way while dealing with the weight of her family responsibility?
"Eight hours. Eight tiny hours is all they were. And already I miss them. Ridiculous. I am ridiculous."
I fell completely for this charming story. It's completely lovely, with such wonderful characters in Noelle and Sam, whom I found myself rooting for from the beginning. There are enough obstacles that I actually found myself wondering if they would wind up together, yet determined that they were meant to be. The book is so sweet yet has its serious moments as well, and it tackles mental health in a honest way, dealing with depression, agoraphobia, and post-partum issues quite well.
"And I feel--something. I don't know what exactly. Alive. Buzzy. Like my blood is rushing with stars, with electricity."
Both Sam and Noelle lost someone early in their lives, and some parts of this book will hit hard if you lost a loved one in your early twenties--their grief feels so real and raw (also a trigger warning for suicide). Their lives have been changed by these deaths, as well as hanging on to relationships that may not be the best for them. Watching them bond is so heartwarming. This is such a romantic read, with excellent pieces of chemistry and sexual tension--it's so well-done and builds quite excellently. This isn't insta-love, but a good slow burn that feels passionate and honest.
Overall, I really loved this one. The romance is excellent, and the message of finding your way together when it was meant to be is beautiful. 4.5 stars.
"Eight hours. Eight tiny hours is all they were. And already I miss them. Ridiculous. I am ridiculous."
I fell completely for this charming story. It's completely lovely, with such wonderful characters in Noelle and Sam, whom I found myself rooting for from the beginning. There are enough obstacles that I actually found myself wondering if they would wind up together, yet determined that they were meant to be. The book is so sweet yet has its serious moments as well, and it tackles mental health in a honest way, dealing with depression, agoraphobia, and post-partum issues quite well.
"And I feel--something. I don't know what exactly. Alive. Buzzy. Like my blood is rushing with stars, with electricity."
Both Sam and Noelle lost someone early in their lives, and some parts of this book will hit hard if you lost a loved one in your early twenties--their grief feels so real and raw (also a trigger warning for suicide). Their lives have been changed by these deaths, as well as hanging on to relationships that may not be the best for them. Watching them bond is so heartwarming. This is such a romantic read, with excellent pieces of chemistry and sexual tension--it's so well-done and builds quite excellently. This isn't insta-love, but a good slow burn that feels passionate and honest.
Overall, I really loved this one. The romance is excellent, and the message of finding your way together when it was meant to be is beautiful. 4.5 stars.
Merissa (11928 KP) rated Alpha's Fake Wife by Maria Warren in Books
Jun 23, 2022
ALPHA'S FAKE WIFE is the first book in a series that really does show potential but, unfortunately for me, I just didn't feel as though it lived up to that potential as it stands right now.
It is a slow-burn Reverse Harem romance with a mystery/romantic suspense element to it as someone is drugging and assaulting females in Drew's pack.
Our main female, Laura, is brought to a party by her not-so-likeable best friend, Brandon, before he abandons her for other women. After he leaves her, she is handed a drink, drinks it, is immediately drugged, and starts to be led away. She is able to free herself but feels ill - which is how she meets Drew. Lance is Drew's half-brother who acts completely out of character when he throws a party for the pack to celebrate the new Luna - even though he is only tolerated by most of them, and actually prefers to stay out of the limelight. Lance meets Laura the same night and mistakes her for one of Drew's usual floozies. We don't meet Xavier until about halfway through (or so it felt) although he is supposed to be Drew's bodyguard! I am told about these four having a connection - or rather, three having a connection to Laura, and her to the three - but I never see or feel it.
There are situations and circumstances left unexplained in here that, although may be explained in future books, could have done with at least something to be going on with. For example, what is with the intense dislike of cherries? There are some fruits I don't like, but hers is crazy. And seriously, if you've got someone going around assaulting women, stop going out by yourself when you've been asked not to (unless it's for a bloody good reason which none of hers were). And how many times are you going to be on the receiving end of a drugged drink and be able to pass it off as a mistake?
There are a couple of Not-So-Big Bads here that didn't come as a surprise at all, but there are clues given to a Big Bad called The Alchemist who I guess will be the overall story arc going forward.
If this book went through a severe editing process, dropped a few thousand unnecessary words, tightened up the story as a whole, made a connection between the characters, and made said characters more relatable, then I would continue with it, but as it stands, I won't be reading this series any further.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
It is a slow-burn Reverse Harem romance with a mystery/romantic suspense element to it as someone is drugging and assaulting females in Drew's pack.
Our main female, Laura, is brought to a party by her not-so-likeable best friend, Brandon, before he abandons her for other women. After he leaves her, she is handed a drink, drinks it, is immediately drugged, and starts to be led away. She is able to free herself but feels ill - which is how she meets Drew. Lance is Drew's half-brother who acts completely out of character when he throws a party for the pack to celebrate the new Luna - even though he is only tolerated by most of them, and actually prefers to stay out of the limelight. Lance meets Laura the same night and mistakes her for one of Drew's usual floozies. We don't meet Xavier until about halfway through (or so it felt) although he is supposed to be Drew's bodyguard! I am told about these four having a connection - or rather, three having a connection to Laura, and her to the three - but I never see or feel it.
There are situations and circumstances left unexplained in here that, although may be explained in future books, could have done with at least something to be going on with. For example, what is with the intense dislike of cherries? There are some fruits I don't like, but hers is crazy. And seriously, if you've got someone going around assaulting women, stop going out by yourself when you've been asked not to (unless it's for a bloody good reason which none of hers were). And how many times are you going to be on the receiving end of a drugged drink and be able to pass it off as a mistake?
There are a couple of Not-So-Big Bads here that didn't come as a surprise at all, but there are clues given to a Big Bad called The Alchemist who I guess will be the overall story arc going forward.
If this book went through a severe editing process, dropped a few thousand unnecessary words, tightened up the story as a whole, made a connection between the characters, and made said characters more relatable, then I would continue with it, but as it stands, I won't be reading this series any further.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Rowan & Aldred (Ambrosia #2) in Books
Aug 17, 2024
HEED the triggers, I have none but this really pushed my boundaries!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2in the Ambrosia series, and I have not read book one. I want to, though. Oh how I WANT!
I wasn't sure how this was gonna go, since it came with a stern, VERY STERN warning to note the triggers. I, after reading, STRESS that point.
Rowan is a bully and Aldred the God of Justice and Retribution. Who better to meek out the punishment the boy deserves. But something is off with Rowan and it takes a bit of time for Aldred to get deep into Rowan's reasons for being a bully. What he discovers shocks him, and makes him oddly protective of the boy. There is also the issue of the god going around, giving ambrosia out to humans, which is deadly if not managed correctly.
So, triggers:
Explicit smex: Oh yes, once Aldred decides he's keeping Rowan, the God loves his boy, and he loves him HARD.
Torture: Aldred, in the beginning, is brutal to Rowan. It was painful, reading about it, and it goes way darker than anything I've read before. I will admit, I came close to stopping, but something begged me to continue and I am so glad I did.
Mention of past abuse: Rowan's reasons for being a bully aren't immediately clear, and it does take some time for Aldred to get to the bottom of them.
Sexual assault: If it's the scen I'm thinking of, it's not a full on page assault, just the threat is there, and but for a kitty cat, there would have been.
It's a very different read than my usual fare, and I'm not tagging it as romance, because, let's be honest, I'm not sure Aldred could love in the hearts and flowers sense, but he cares, DEEPLY for Rowan, and I think, in time, his hearts and flowers will come.
Told from both Rowan and Aldred's point of view, this book is powerful in it's intensity; dark in it's violence; and in the end, the reason's for Rowan being a bully is paid back a hundred fold.
I've had a look, and can only see two books by this author name, and I question that! Why?? Cos if this is book 2 by this author, what is Lucie Fleury gonna be like at book 4, 6 or ten?? Sign me up, mate, I'm-a following this author!
Again though, HEED the triggers, I have none but this really pushed my boundaries!
But dear lord I cannot give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (but more if I could!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2in the Ambrosia series, and I have not read book one. I want to, though. Oh how I WANT!
I wasn't sure how this was gonna go, since it came with a stern, VERY STERN warning to note the triggers. I, after reading, STRESS that point.
Rowan is a bully and Aldred the God of Justice and Retribution. Who better to meek out the punishment the boy deserves. But something is off with Rowan and it takes a bit of time for Aldred to get deep into Rowan's reasons for being a bully. What he discovers shocks him, and makes him oddly protective of the boy. There is also the issue of the god going around, giving ambrosia out to humans, which is deadly if not managed correctly.
So, triggers:
Explicit smex: Oh yes, once Aldred decides he's keeping Rowan, the God loves his boy, and he loves him HARD.
Torture: Aldred, in the beginning, is brutal to Rowan. It was painful, reading about it, and it goes way darker than anything I've read before. I will admit, I came close to stopping, but something begged me to continue and I am so glad I did.
Mention of past abuse: Rowan's reasons for being a bully aren't immediately clear, and it does take some time for Aldred to get to the bottom of them.
Sexual assault: If it's the scen I'm thinking of, it's not a full on page assault, just the threat is there, and but for a kitty cat, there would have been.
It's a very different read than my usual fare, and I'm not tagging it as romance, because, let's be honest, I'm not sure Aldred could love in the hearts and flowers sense, but he cares, DEEPLY for Rowan, and I think, in time, his hearts and flowers will come.
Told from both Rowan and Aldred's point of view, this book is powerful in it's intensity; dark in it's violence; and in the end, the reason's for Rowan being a bully is paid back a hundred fold.
I've had a look, and can only see two books by this author name, and I question that! Why?? Cos if this is book 2 by this author, what is Lucie Fleury gonna be like at book 4, 6 or ten?? Sign me up, mate, I'm-a following this author!
Again though, HEED the triggers, I have none but this really pushed my boundaries!
But dear lord I cannot give it anything other than. . . .
5 full and shiny stars! (but more if I could!)
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
An Amish Christmas Bakery (4 Stories)
Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin and Kathleen Fuller
8.7
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Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston: Alyssa Byler dreaming of the next holiday window display for...
Amish Romance Amish Fiction