Review: Interesting twist
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 22, 2013
This is a story that's been told many times in many ways, but with some interesting twists.This is a story about Portia McGee, a neglected rich daughter of a wealthy businessman and a famous actress who ignored her and rejected her.  She turned to the only family she knew and that was her two rich friends Niki and Tarry.  They made her feel loved and they sought each other to feel what their parents couldn't give them which often included drugs, alcohol, and trips to rehab.  They never engaged in relationships to avoid more pain.  They all ended up in the bright lights including the screen and music scene.Portia threw herself into her work as an actress and it paid off through respect from the movie world, an Oscar and the obsessiveness of the media.  She "learned very early, how usable we all are, and how vulnerable you become, when you become attached to someone.  Instead of being used, I became the one who uses others."  "She rarely does seconds.  So whatever happened was it."  People didn't expect her to have a heart and she was expected to be conceited and spoiled.  She lived life like it was a role and rarely let anyone except Niki and Tarry see the real her.Enter an up and coming painter and tattoo artist James "Will" Williams Miller.  Their paths cross when he is contracted to do her temporary tattoo for her movie and she is enthralled by this "dark beauty" who is "six feet of pure, defined muscle."  She embarks on a romantic journey with him that leaves her scared and confused and on the path to self discovery.  She learns Will has a dark past as well and has chosen an interesting way to move forward.  A way that Portia doesn't understand, but finds she wants to.  He was an orphan who led a life of abuse, crime, and addiction until he was rescued by a pastor and his family.  Will chose a life of faith and purity and is "committed to abstain from sex out of wedlock, alcohol, and drugs."  Portia finds she respects his decision, but questions whether they are too different.  Portia learned "...somehow, we find what we are looking for even when we do not know what it is."  Portia makes some bad choices during a press tour out of her insecurity and leaves Will questioning his feelings.This book is hard for me to describe my thoughts.  It was different with the faith piece and I truly liked that twist, but found it hokey at times.  It was an interesting thought to believe that we have a second half and we just have to demonstrate faith to find them.  The characters were deep and their pain was intense and it was amazing to see Will overcome his pain in a positive way and it was admirable.  Their relationship was kinda hard to grasp onto though.  It was almost too instant and seemed too hard to believe.  They almost seemed to be in love too quick and Will was rushing Portia to meet his family after they knew each other for only a few days.  Their dialogue was often cheesy and hard to relate to.  This book leaves you with a lot of cool thoughts though, including defining our purpose here and how powerful faith can be and to believe in second chances.  "Sunrise is a reminder that every day is a new beginning."One of my favorite lines from the book was :"I am nether perfect nor conceited, but now I understand my worth.  I am right where I am supposed to be, with exactly what I was meant to have.  I acknowledge and receive it gracefully."