Review: Fantastic Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 19, 2013
Many people suffer heartbreak before finding their true love. But is there a point where past damage is too great to overcome?Nina Foster moved to Freewill five years ago, after fleeing devastation. Having one engagement broken, only to fall in love with a man who betrayed her, she looked to start new in a place where no one knew her and she could find solitude. She purchased the town bookstore and was well on her way to building a happy life...or was she?Enter Blake Massie. The mysterious man Nina knows only as a name on a computer screen. He lives only a mile from her house, yet no one knows anything about him. Never appearing in public, Blake lives with an old family friend and caretaker, imprisoned by fear of how others would perceive him. Though his actions were heroic, Blake was forever disfigured by fire, and in the two years since, has hidden himself away from everything and everyone...until he saw Nina's picture on her website.This was a lovely tale of survival and redemption. Both Nina and Blake were damaged in their own ways, and each had sworn off the rest of the world. But, a combination of fate and the undeniable need for companionship drew them together. Though Nina had vowed to never be taken in by a man again, she feels herself waning the more she gets to know this new mystery man. Blake, meanwhile, sheds all his insecurities and self-doubt while hiding behind his computer monitor - able to show his true self without the fear of his appearance.There was a need to suspend reality a little to believe Nina would visit Blake daily without consummation, much less seeing him with her own eyes, but the culmination of their relationship was well worth the long build up. When the two finally opened up fully, I read the final pages with a smile on my face - and that's exactly what I look for in a great story.Desiree Holt doesn't disappoint with this one. This is romance at its best - rugged, but damaged hero teamed with the disillusioned and heartbroken heroine. Want a classic romance? This is it.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews