Review: great story of personal growth and healing
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 28, 2014
Butterfly is the first story I have read from this author. The beginning of the book was a little slow, but once the story picked up it demanded my attention.  Grace’s life has been shattered by a tragic event that leaves her feeling vulnerable and afraid. When she meets Ben she has to decide whether opening up to him might just help her heal and move on.Grace was my favorite kind of character. Despite the horrible event that had occurred, she was determined to live her life again. Her decision to ask for help in order to heal was hers alone and that kind of self-awareness and courage is what I love in a female character. She goes through a huge transformation over the course of this story and Elle Harper did an incredible job sharing that with us. She gave us Grace’s journey in a way that was as much hopeful and moving as it was realistic and heart wrenching.Ben had me from the start. His compassion and need to help Grace won me over immediately. Sure, his initial actions were a tad strange and I wondered why he was so compelled to solve the riddle that was Grace. As we get to know his character, however, it becomes clear that his kind heart and empathy for what she is going through is driving him to help her. Ben has a secret of his own and throughout the book I found myself trying to piece together what it might be. Elle Harper does a great job of holding onto his secret just long enough to really make you wonder before revealing it and the resulting consequences in way that made my heart hurt for Ben and Grace.Overall I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was well written with a great storyline that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The characters were well developed and easily endeared themselves to me. I became easily invested in their happily ever after. I’m a big fan of books that tackle difficult issues in the way that this book did. Elle Harper told Grace and Ben’s story with both sensitivity and the necessary dose of reality. I would definitely read another book by this author.