Review: Reviewed by Desere Steenberg
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 26, 2013
We all face the actions of our parents possibly destroying our lives, especially if you live in a small town. So running away from it all seems to definitely be the only option one would have to shake of the embarrassment and get on with life.But can you truly ever get rid of the shadow of the past? Of course not, you still wonder when the day will come that someone will find out what or where you came from and you will need to face the embarrassment all over again.In this read from author Amy Andrews she tells the story of Ella, sweet always kind and always being harassed by every guy in town all thanks to her mother.So she takes off to start a new life, she briefly returns to lay her mother to rest but makes one last attempt to shake off the past by setting up a whole new set of rumours afterall, she will be gone by morning and no one in her future would ever know that she gave into the temptation of do-me-now-and-do-me-all-night-long JakeBut two years later she comes face to face with her temptation again and Jake is not alone, with him he brings the past and all the pent up anger and hurt she buried comes bubbling back to the top, she can either run again or face it head-on, the only question she has to ask herself is of course will either decision be worth it?The character of Ella was very realistic because does run away from the past instead of learning to face it. I agree that when the actions of your parents place you in the line of fire that it is not all that much of a pleasant life, and running from it all is definitely the best solution but when the past pops again I think it is life's way of telling you that it is time to face it and show the world you are made of stronger stuff and not ready to have them or anyone else hide who you truly are by slandering you.The character of Jake was fabulous! I loved his go get 'em attitude! It showed him as strong and the perfect hero to protect Ella against the past, but his caring and total sweetheart with a bit of funk spunk also showed him to be the perfect solution for pulling Ella out from her little perfect -the-only-thing-that-can-touch-me-is-the-past bubble. I very much adored that the author also gave Jake a past that travelled with him and that it added to the mystery of him being so calm about it as oppose to Ella freaking out as soon as it all gets revealed, it made him the perfect surface perfect hero.The backdrop settings were interesting and most of the time had a nice homey feeling to it, I adored the story behind the old house and the mystery of the previous occupants. The dialogue was a slight hit and miss for me as reader, I liked the emotional impact the author's words gave to the characters but I was not overall nuts about the amount of swearing used, yes it made the read all the more real but in the end it felt as if it killed of a little of the romance for me.There was also a fabulous set of secondary characters and relationships in this read that mirrored real life and that everywhere we go there is always someone to lend spice to life, you are never alone.I am taking away a message of the past is the past, it needs to be buried but in order to fully bury it you need to deal with it first or it will just keep coming back to destroy you.I am recommending read read for fans of romance with a real life connections, and a jazzed up series of events that will leave you going " Oh no really, all this on top of that?". A intriguing, passionate, emotional and fun read.4 star review" He is the hero she needs to free her from the past, but can she free him"Copy provided by the author in exchange for a honest review.