Review: Reviewed for Blog Tour and LOVED it!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 27, 2014
I was sent a copy of this book by the author for an honest review, and I gotta say… I LOVED it. It was a good, clean, enjoyable read. It had drama and mystery, but not too angsty. Just comfortable and intriguing. I couldn’t put it down. I read the whole book in one day. Which is saying a lot when you have a rambunctious two year old wrecking everything he touches all day long!Tracey and Steve share a complicated history that spans over twelve years, as well as an eleven-year-old daughter. Despite their failed attempts at romance, they are always there for each other and for their daughter. When Tracey estranged mother unexpectedly suffers a stroke and winds up in a coma, she will need Steve even more than she realizes. And he wants to be there for her…despite the objections from his live-in girlfriend. Question is: Can Tracey allow herself to depend on Steve after occurrences from their past? They try to fight their pull towards each other, both to protect themselves, their daughter, and their respective relationships. But sometimes, life pushes you together for a reason; you just have to have the courage to take that leap of faith.Everyone else can see that Tracey and Steve belong together, but will they trust each other enough to take a chance at love again? Or will they keep their relationship a friendly one, focused on raising and loving their daughter?Tracey is a bit skittish and indecisive, but she’s strong and definitely isn’t a disappointment as a lead female character.Steve is a good guy, and I was rooting for him the entire time, hoping he’d start making the right decisions.Meredith is a wretched biotch. That’s all you need to know about her.And Tracey’s mother… you’ll love her and you’ll hate her, but her feisty butt is the glue that holds everything together.The author did an excellent job with the timeline of this book. When trying to integrate pertinent information from a twelve-year relationship into the present story, it would be easy to leave things out or add too much or make the story seem choppy, but that didn’t happen in this book. Everything flows well, and you get the info from the past when you need it. And in just the right amounts. And without giving away too much too soon. Kudos to you, Ms. Shriver!Because I am a Grammar Nazi, I will point out that there were a few editing issues with missing and/or extra words and words in the wrong order, but it wasn’t enough to take away from the story or to decrease my 5-star rating of the book. That’s how much I loved the story and the writing.This story isn’t full of sex and heavy, angsty drama. It’s a clean love story that contains the real world drama of complicated relationships, both familial and romantic. If you’re looking for a refreshing read that keeps you interested and warms your heart, I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren’t looking for that, pick up this book anyway. It makes you feel that good!