Review: One powerful store of 26 years of lost and secrets. This will be one of your top 10 favorite reads for the year.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 9, 2014
For me this was a very powerful love story that reaches out through 26 years of lost, wanting, need for closure, secrets, and love. The author spins a story so compelling it will bring a grown man to his knees and make women weep. This story will reach deep in your soul to bring back those memories of your own lost love, your own heartbreak of the one that got away. As you read the author will take you into a story of many characters each having their own secrets, wishes and desires, each wanting and needing closure. You will fall in love with each character even those you want to hate will be your friend. There isn't a character in this book that I couldn't identify with and feel their pain. Once you start this book you will not want to put it down, the author will leave you with wanting more. This is a story you will want to read over and over again, you will put it in that folder of must reads. It is sure to be on your top 10 favorite reads of the year.Each of us remembers our first love but not many are with that person. Can you imagine having a person you grow up with from childhood, loving that person they are your everything. You both learn every lesson in life together from walking, talking, loving, this person is your first lover he/she is your everything. One mistake, one night all that changes, your world is torn apart and you lose it all. That is what happens to Noah and Jules one night of passion and life as they know it is over. Their love is torn apart each not being able to forgive the other. Decisions have to be made, which are taken out of their hands. It just broke my heart to see them torn apart.This story starts at 26 years later when all the heartbreak is over or is it. Jules and Noah moved on lived life the best they could but neither is able to forget the other or what they lost. Jules is now a mother with a normal teenager that is driving her crazy. One ex husband who could never live up to Noah memory and knows it. She still lives in her hometown where everyone knows but has swept her secret under the rug for so many years. No one talks about it but no one has forgotten it either, it is as much a part of her life as it was 26 years ago. Each day she remembers and each day she wishes and dreams for what she has lost. She has put walls up that no one can get through, no one will ever touch her heart again, and never will she feel such pain. Her mother was a controlling women, Jules worse nightmare just came true she is her mother, doing things and living her life just as her mother has done. Jules is like most mothers doing the best she can for her daughter, not wanting her daughter to make the same mistakes she has. Life isn't like that we all must make our way, make our own mistakes, the more we are pushed the more we will go the other way. Jules is about to find this out the hard way. Just as she learns this lesson in live in walks Noah and her world falls apart.Noah is fighting his own demons trying to get over his pain of the one woman he has never forgotten or forgiven. When life got tough he got going, drove right out of town and kept on going. His teenage years are over and he must grow up fast. He has lived his life, grown into a wonderful man who just got out of the military and has a great future. He still can't forget all the pain and lose. He is back to help his family run the business. He isn't alone, he is engaged and she is expecting and the plot thickens. How do you forget the one woman who as a teenager was your everything and the secrets you left behind?The passion is still between Noah and Jules has with stood 26 long years which is still as strong as the day their world came crashing down. Will they give in to lost love or will life stand in their way, there is more them just them to think about now, each has a family who means the world to them.I just love the grandmothers they are way to cool, so funny, loving, she gets her point out and show her love and support but gets right to the point. I just loved Nana Mae, agree letting the crazy out is a good thing. "My wise old Cajun Maw Maw used to say, "Hide your crazy, girl. Ain't nobody wanna see that s***."Maw Maw died of a heart attack at the age of sixty-two. My other grandmother, Nana Mae, who is neither Cajun nor known for being exceptionally wise, is still kicking at eighty-five and says it's because she lets all her crazy out." Nana Mae said "It was better in my day" When we'd leave the house, we left the grid. No cell phones to track you down." "Same here" I said "Although I had neighbors that were more efficient than any electronic device. Still do. Mrs. Mercer next door nearly called the cops the first time Patrick came over on his bike."I just loved that I thought it was so funny. I loved the scene on the rules of not skipping school with Jules and her daughter I had to chuckle. I can't tell you how many times I myself have said "This is why wild animals sometimes eat their young."Totally loved the part where Mark meets Becca mother for the first time. Mark just comes downstairs from Becca room and Jules goes into her nice to meet you and you have no respect to meet me the right way. Then she said "Mark, I would've liked to have met you a different way, but since I didn't, let me fill you in. Becca isn't allowed to skip class. Don't know if you are, but she's not. You aren't allowed in her room. Ever. You will respect those things, and keep all your personal property in your pants, and we will get along just fine." What an outstanding lady, I laughed so hard.Jules mother I understood why she did what she did, I didn't like it but she did what she thought was best for her daughter. It seems she has secrets of her own, now that I have a hard time forgiving or understanding. I can't say I didn't like her character, yes she made me mad but she was understandable and I feel a lot of mother in that day and age would have done the same things.Noah father what is there not to love about man who was deeply hurt as well. He doesn't let a day go by that he isn't showing how he feels or letting Jules forget. 26 years of bottled up pain is a lot of pain to push around, he has no problem making Jules as unhappy as he can. Everyone has secrets even Noah father, will his bring the family together or tear them more apart?I wanted so much not to like Noah girlfriend Shayna and the mother of his soon to be child. I wanted so much for Noah and Jules to get back together, to make a wrong a right. What is there not to love about this sweet caring women, everyone likes her even Jules. Even Jules ex Hayden is like able even with all his issues. This is all I can tell you without giving the book away, I hope it has interested you enough to go buy the wonderful outstanding book.There are so many places in this story that will make you smile, laugh and bring you to tears, each better then the last. Most will stick with you for day if not years. This book by Ms, Lovelace is a keeper, 5+ star that will keep you hanging on to each word as you spin your way through all her twist and turns. I highly recommend "Don't Let Go" the name fits it so well, you won't want to let go even in the end.