Review: Story with a difficult subject Hall uses the characters to examine reactions and breathe life into the story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 15, 2013
This story picks up a few months after A Moment ends, although we are getting to see the story through the eyes of Alex, Ryan's cousin and the son of the man who abused Ryan as a six year old boy.Alex is at loose ends, dealing with his own issues and having little real active role in saving Ryan since he and Lili have solidified their relationship and started to build their own life together, Alex now has nothing to do but deal with his own demons. After one of his `usual' nights of drinking, nameless sex and making every attempt to hide from his own thoughts, Alex walks into a tattoo shop and lays eyes on the most unique woman he has ever met.Enter Zoe/Misaki: a half Japanese rockabilly body modification specialist who knows Alex from high school. Zoe is all bravado in her fearless persona; sharp witted and even sharper tongue hides a streak of insecure that is two miles wide. She has crushed on Alex for years, but she also is aware of his reputation for going through women like water.From here the dance between the two begins as they play with their attraction, pushing from Alex and withdrawl from Zoe as she refuses to fall into the same trap as her best friend Jaime, and allow a man to rule her every waking moment and mood.While this is less emotionally intensive and physically threatening as A Moment, this is still a beautifully written piece that examines the fallout to the "others", and the sorts of acting out, self-defeating behavior that is common and all too prevalent remnants of the guilt and grief. We see Alex come to terms with his own feelings surrounding his father's heinous acts and his struggle with staying committed to the therapeutic process when he doesn't feel worthy of feeling `better'. Learning to deal with his own anger toward his father for his acts and his mother for staying despite what the man had done, the skeletons in this family closet are not only let out, but are kicked about and waved from the flagpole in one large confrontation that both Ryan and Alex needed to set the past to ground and start their new lives.Marie Hall has written a story with a difficult subject at the heart, and provided readers with a realistic series of reactions and actions that survivors have gone through, using the characters that she creates and breathes life into just helps to bring the emotions and point home. These are characters with flaws and problems, concerns and worries, joys and sorrows: it is just HOW they deal with all of those issues that make them special and unique. Take a chance with this series, read them in order, and be prepared to cry, to laugh and most of all to cheer for these characters and their own happy endings.I received an ARC copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.