Review: An emotionally gripping tale of love, loss, and second chances.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 14, 2012
For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight, please visit Reader's Edyn at:readersedyn (dot) blogspot (dot) comReview:Rory has admired the love Sam has for his wife from afar for along time. She has always processed his billboard love letters to his wife and, although subconsciously on some level, she longs for the same kind of love in her own life. When the order comes through with a date of Sam's wife's death, she is compelled to call him to convey her condolences. She rationalizes her intent behind the phone call, but again, subconsciously she is trying to connect on some level with the guy that seems to good to be true. Unexpectedly, Sam invites Rory out for lunch, ultimately setting into motion a chain reaction that was never meant to be ... or maybe it was.Sam married young and, like many young men who are not ready for the responsibility that comes with marriage, makes plenty of mistakes. Unfortunately, by the time he had realized the error of his ways, his wife had had enough and kicked him out. Stuck in a limbo from which he has no escape, Sam tries to pay his debt to his now deceased wife by refusing to move on and keeping her memory alive. She may have been moving on with her life at the time of her death, but Sam continues to wallow, not quite sure how to let go and simultaneously afraid of what happens once he does let go. And then Rory walks into his life basically by accident and sucker-punches him back into the world of the living. Except Sam has been resigned to his loneliness for so long, he doesn't know if he can figure out how to let go. And even if he does, can he take another chance with his heart? And will he even remember how to go back to the cheerful guy he used to be? Or is he destined to cause Rory the same pain he caused his wife? Either way, the feelings Rory provokes within him gives him enough of a push to try. But the pain of moving forward may be more than he can overcome; with or without Rory's help.Rory has always been a bit of a "buck-the-system" kind of girl. She lost a lot of her chunkiness and now dresses provocatively to show off what she has. She will never be skinny, but her curves are something she is more comfortable with now. Despite her Aunt's requests to tone it down at work, she continues to dress how she wishes. She also allows herself to be stereotyped. Many assume she is a tramp and she allows them to think so, never trying to correct their incorrect assumptions. She is comfortable with herself and her lifestyle and that is all that matters. In fact, she is somewhat of a guy's guy - a fanatical sports enthusiast and a lover of classic cars. Rory is also known to speak her mind and frequently shock or offend with her blunt tendencies. Not one to fall for the belief that there is true love somewhere just waiting for her to find it, she prefers to keep her relationships casual. But the sparks that she and Sam ignite simply from a look are undeniable. And soon, Rory is longing for things she never dreamed of. And she couldn't possibly have chosen a more broken man to try and cultivate a relationship with. She tells herself that being friends would be okay, but she knows, and Sam knows, that their relationship can have no half measure. It will be all or nothing. And nothing seems more likely with Sam's inability to allow his former love to rest in peace.Heart Signs is one of the best short stories in erotic fiction I have read, hands down. What better combination is there than a heroine who is persistent and determined; who realizes her own desires, but puts the needs of someone else above her own wishes; who is willing to help to the best of her ability with no guarantee of a happy outcome? Pair her with the broken hero - nearly beyond broken - who has loved and lost and is stuck in that loss, with not a single clue how to move forward; who admits a deep desire for the woman in front of him, but doesn't know if he is deserving of another chance at what he squandered; who really is an all around good guy that messed up and paid a heart-wrenching price. Okay, maybe I am laying it on a little thick, but I admire the fact that Ms. Quinn was able to present the hero that is borderline unsaveable. He is right in the edge of being too far gone without being beyond redemption. And Rory is equally flawed in her own ways. Flawed characters are the type that make the reader root for them, make the reader identify with them is some way, make the reader want to see them finally happy in life and love. For me, Rory and Sam fit this description perfectly. The story is short, so there is not a deep storyline that has to be sorted out. Everything is laid out on the table at a fairly quick pace, giving just enough to understand while refraining from overwhelming. Shockingly, Ms. Quinn was able to elicit some pretty strong emotional reactions from me in a seriously short amount of time. I sped through this little gem in about 3 hours. And in the 3 hours, I went through the emotions I believe the reader was intended to experience. The heart-break, the happiness, the frustration, the stimulation - this book was packed with emotion.My only issue with the book was actually a secondary character, Rory's Aunt. She seems inconsistent at best. A bit of a bulldog at first, then possibly a person who really cares about Rory, then almost instantly into a bitter wretch. I'd like to think that as Rory's Aunt, she cares for her well-being and wants to see her happy, wishing only the best for her. But that brief glimpse into a "possible" moment of compassion leaves me doubting her affection towards Rory.But what I could possibly say was the post enjoyable part of the story was the epilogue. I feel like epilogues are almost necessary for stories that may not be or are not part of a series. If the reader is not likely to experience these characters in the future, then it is highly probable that he or she will want to know what happens to them in the future. Rather than compromise a well-written story by trying to tie everything up within a few paragraphs at the end, Ms. Quinn made a positive move and included an epilogue. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I have had stories ruined by the abrupt ending before. Such is not the case here. Despite the raw emotions stirred within this story, I felt that they enhanced this story in a way that made it more endearing. The reactions were believable and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Rory and Sam. An emotionally gripping tale of love, loss, and second chances, Heart Signs is sure to pull at your heart strings.(Digital copy provided by author for review.)