Review: Don't do it!
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 03 2, 2014
When I rate a book highly, 4-5 stars, I don't always feel the need to review it at length or give reasons. When I review a book poorly, under 4 and I can pinpoint or explain what didn't work for me, I try to do it.I saw this book on Amazon and then researched it here. It was hailed as wonderful with all the five star reviews. Even though I noticed a large number of those were Beta and ARC readers, I decided I liked the love triangle premise. At 25%, I was ready to text my fellow book club members to get on this book! It was an interesting premise, it flowed well with interesting characters and emotions. The author did a FAB job pacing the book and growing relationships of the three principles through junior high, high school, and college. The turning point for me was when Katy moved to SC.Katy fled the twin brothers, Brooks and Branch she was in love with, and met Bobby in small town America. Bobby was a true friend to her and helped her through her heart break over the twins. He was patient and caring for her through her pregnancy from another man, even willingly marrying her so she could get added to his health insurance. He admitted his love for her and she was honest with him that she cared, but wasn't in love with him. Bobby did become abusive on a couple occasions and they separated. He entered counseling and still helped her, treating her child as his own. When he was injured, she moved him back in to help him out and they reconciled.All the while, Katy was still harboring emotions for another. She was so incredibly wishy washy I started to hate her. Long story short, she reaches back out to her true love and baby daddy, Brooks, through letters. She never tells him she is married to another, she never tells him about his kid. She never tells her husband she is doing this. Brooks letters stop and she assumes he has been killed in action as he was in the Army stationed in Afghanistan. She comes clean to her husband about her pen pal habits and he helps her through Brooks' death. She even goes so far at this point to promise Bobby she is over Brooks and in love with him and she wants to start trying for a baby with him! Brooks comes back from Afghanistan to finally be with her only to see her with Bobby and a toddler. He assumes she has moved on and realizes she lied in her letters about still loving him, so he walks away.She receives a delayed letter from Brooks in the mail that tells her he was only injured and shipping back to the states to a base very close to where she is, doing this in the hopes that they can reconcile. Katy immediately goes to see him at the base throwing herself at him and admitting she kept his kid from him.Brooks starts a relationship with his daughter that Bobby fully supports, even though it pains him to think of losing the child he accepted and treated as his own. Bobby is heartbroken, but leaves Katy and tells her to think about what she wants. If she is still in love with Brooks, as much as it would kill him, she should then be with him. Katy calls Bobby begging him to come home, professing her love for him alone. Stupid Bobby goes back. Her first time chaperoning a visitation between Brooks and their child ends with her kissing him and telling him he is the only one she ever loved, with poor Bobby waiting for his family at home alone!After overhearing Katy professing her feelings to Brooks, Bobby smacks her around a couple times and she has him arrested! What? This may be the only time I have ever cheered on a man hitting a woman. She was jerking him around so badly, yet we are supposed to feel bad for her? I wanted to beat her ass for the head job she was doing on Bobby.Now after this, Brooks saves the day whisking her and their baby away. The author really needs to clean this story up so she turns Bobby, who before was willing to let Katy go be with Brooks, into a crazed stalker. He attempts to kidnap Katy, and after a car accident he dies. She feels responsible and is sulking. Again.This book had so much potential, but about a third of the way through, I wanted to choke Katy! The book also became heavy with inner musings and monologues. I don't think I have ever experienced a more immature and selfish character as Katy Michaels. I awarded this book two stars instead of one, giving the author credit for the first quarter of the book.Avoid this book, don't believe the hype.