Review: Words at Home Review of Waiting for the Storm
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 28, 2013
Review first posted to Words at Home blog June 28, 2013 http://www.wordsathome.ca/2013/06/waiting-for-the-storm-by-marie-landry.htmlWaiting for the Storm is a beautiful story following two self-proclaimed tortured souls as they pull themselves out from the darkness and find the love and happiness that had been missing from their lives for so long. Having finished her senior year at home while caring for her dying mother Charlotte has become a shell of her former self. No longer the popular, outgoing girl she once was, and no longer needed to act as caregiver since her mother's passing she is left having to figure out how to move on with her life when everything she once knew (her friends, family, path in life) had been taken from her.Charlotte was a character that I grew to love but it definitely too me some time. After her mother's death she moved, along with her father and younger sister, to Angel Island to spend the summer in her mother's childhood beach home. After a year of taking care of her dying mother Charlotte had stopped spending time her friends and barely ventured outside of her home. She became reclusive, jumpy, and uncomfortable being in new situations. I will be honest at first I just didn't get Charlotte. Why the jumpiness, why was she afraid of the doorbell ringing or meeting new people when a year ago she was miss popular? The more I learned of her story the more her behaviours made sense to me and I came to love her character.Ezra was a character that I liked from the beginning. Of course there is the obvious - he was shouldering. But more than just being good looking, he was genuine and that is a quality I need to see in a love interest. Ezra was a little dark and mysterious but not in a bad-boy-treat-the-girl-kind-of-like-crap-and-disguise-it-as-flirting kind of way. I have to admit I am extremely sick of those guys. Ezra was a good guy, he was supportive of Charlotte, pushed her just enough to help her come out of her shell but knew when to back off. He wasn't perfect but he was pretty close.The romance between Charlotte and Ezra was perfectly convincing. They met and fell for each other quickly, but that is usually the way that summer romances go. Their relationship was first built on friendship and trust. They had that slow burn romance going for them in the most wonderful way and I just could have read about them over and over again. Marie if you are listening this would be a good time to write a sequel... just sayin!One thing that I loved about Waiting for the Storm is that it was not just about the romance. Sure Ezra and Charlotte's story was definitely a huge part of the book but their individual stories played just as large a role. I really enjoyed seeing how Charlotte's volunteer work and her love of books also helped her with her grief and I appreciated that she was determined to not lean completely on Ezra. It was nice to see her grow so much and to have the growth attributed to more than just falling in love. I also appreciated seeing how her mother's passing affected her father and younger sister as well as the larger family dynamic. So often every other aspect of the main character's life is ignored because of their all-consuming romance and it was nice to see the whole picture for a change. The inclusion of these heavy elements made Waiting for the Storm a much meatier contemporary romance that I feel would be perfect for fans of YA, New Adult or contemporary fiction. Marie Landry definitely has a knack for telling a compelling story and look forward to reading more from her!I received an ebook of Waiting for the Storm from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.