Review: I Freaking Love This Series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 18, 2014
I loved everything about this series, but I especially love the fact that all of the characters in this series feel so real. They aren't a bunch poor people waiting around to be saved by some rich person who comes along. No, they are just your average blue-collar workers doing their best to get by with what they have, and some of them are just lucky enough to find true love along the way..They are not perfect, and just like any other normal person I know, it seems they all have some kind of flaw. Sure...some have more than others, but that's just the way it goes in real life.I love both of the main characters in this story. Both were very strong individuals, fighting for a cause they believed in strongly. And even though they've both experienced few really major losses in their lives, they continually find a way to pull themselves up and move on.Some of you might have thought Grace was a really bad sister for turning Samantha away years ago. But...that's not true at all. From my first hand experience with three of my own siblings and one really close friend, I can tell you that Grace did exactly what she should have done. You can't help anyone, if they are not willing to help themselves. They have to completely hit rock bottom, before they finally realize how distructive they've been not only to themselves but how their actions affected others. The addicts have to be the ones that are willing to reach out and ask for help, and then and only then will they have a chance to succeed in turing their lives around.I loved that the Ms. Ashe has decided to delve into this subject. It shows the readers what it's really like trying to deal with an addict. I don't know who helped her with her research on this subject, or whether or not she's also experienced a friend or a family member who went through something like this, all I do know is whatever it was.... she was spot on. At least as far as I'm concerned.Hank is so wonderful right from the git-go. He was a true blue gentleman, for sure. He got his heart broken years ago as he watched Samantha ride off with another man, but his love for her has still never wavered to this day. He knows she's trouble and that if he allows himself to get close to her again,  he'll probably be hurt again. But he can't help himself, he just can't stay away from her.I think the scene at the defense school where he finally hears for the first time what had happened to her----and probably the reason  that made her life spin so out of control, was so heart-wrenching. That would have been so hard to hear as a friend or a family member.And the fact that he was willing to jepordize his whole career to save her life, just made me fall even more in love with this man. I loved his busy body Gramma. She could be so irratating at times, but you couldn't deny the closeness, the admiration, the respect, and the deep love they felt for one another. To me; that was just so, so wonderful.I would highly recommend not only this book, but this whole wonderful series.