Review: Strong love story, but plotline is spotty
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 12, 2011
The love story portion of this book was so, so moving. I mean, have the tissues within reach moving. My heart hurt for Chad throughout the story. The reader spends most of the book in Chad's POV, which is unusual. The depth of his pain is never in doubt. We know he hasn't gotten even close to getting over Lauren, nor she him, from the beginning. As they slowly reconnect, we see how they have suffered, for YEARS. Great angsty, pain riddled tale.I read this book yesterday, and I have been thinking about it ever since. It's been quite a while since a story has stuck with me like this, where I keep rolling it around in my mind, trying to process how I feel about it.On the one hand, there is this beautiful portrayal of a second chance at love. I mean, the depth of feelings evoked by the love story, for me, was unexpected and simply lovely. I felt Chad's pain, his anger, his guilt, his intense longing for what he has lost. I felt his tension, his mistrust, and finally, his hope in a second chance. My gut clenched, I was breathing faster, I felt anxious for him. I RELATED.So many touching and heartwrenching moments, such as when the reader learns why Chad is so fastidious in putting away his things had me saying, "Ohhhh, Bless his heart...!" and waving my hand in front of my face, trying not to cry. Didn't help, I cried like a baby. Chad slowly opens himself to the possibility of having his dream come true, yet can't stop the moment of panic when he wakes and Lauren is not in bed with him. Chad's POV during these scenes is a spectacular portrayal of a wounded, haunted man.Sadly, we have very little Lauren time. Yes, she wants her husband back. Yes, she says she never wanted to hurt him. I believed her, as far as it goes, but her angst seemed so superficial in comparison to Chad's. Even when she is explaining to him why she left, she doesn't read as filled with sorrow or remorse. She reads as flat, to me.The rest of the story, though, was just...not there. I'm good without having things detailed out, but there was just...nothing. The plot was thin to the point of I wondered why bother? The villian Lauren was hiding from was ultimately a nonissue. The manipulation that kept Chad and Lauren apart and the person behind it was no surprise to me at all. The person who stole Lauren's letters to Chad, though, that came out of left field.I have read the other 2 books in this series, and I still couldn't really follow the "story". Scenes end abruptly. Chapters start in the middle of a scene. There is a lot of conflicting dialogue about whether Lauren blames Chad for a career ending incident in the FBI. First, she does. Then she says, no, of course I don't blame you. Then she blames him for not discussing it with her, but not for his actions. I found it hard to follow.Ultimately, the Chad part of the story is a 5++++, and the rest of the story is a 2. I am so sad about this, because I liked Chad more than I have liked any hero in a while. It's like the author created this magnificent character, and then lost steam with the background and supporting themes. Honestly, I would recommend reading it for the love story, and just skipping the other parts.