Review: Interesting twist to a somewhat familiar "headline".
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2012
For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight please visit Reader's Edyn at :readersedyn (dot) blogspot (dot) comReview:Well, let's just say that I now know why Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott are critique partners. I don't think it is possible to like one without liking the other. *nods* Luckily for me, my review of Ms. Quinn's book, turned into an opportunity to review Ms. Elliott's book. I can honestly say to the readers out there that if you find one of these authors enjoyable and have yet to read the other, you are pretty much guaranteed an enjoyable read. That said, let's get on with the review.Miranda is basically Paris Hilton ... or she was. She lived dangerously and partied harder all for the attention she was missing out on from her less than ideal family life. But eventually she gets a wake up call and goes to ground as another person altogether. Having lived the crazy life, she turns her back on everything related to fun that could potentially tempt her wild side and dives deep into her work, creating a web design business on the verge of success. The only problem with ignoring life around you is that you do eventually miss out and Miranda has failed to notice her hawt FedEx delivery guy for the last three years. Oh yeah ~ I said THREE years!Nate has been lusting after Miranda forEVAH and goes so far as to rearrange his delivery schedule so that he ends his day with her. So when she unexpectedly shows up at a club he is at and dances with him, he damn near looses his mind ~ so much so that she walks away from him without him being able to form a coherent sentence. And when her friends tip him off to her whereabouts a few days later, he pounces on the chance to see her again. But Miranda's past has caused her to erect shields of protection in places even she doesn't realize exist and it is up to Nathan to show her that having a life doesn't mean that she will revert back to her darker days. Their attraction is instantaneous and Nathan's ability to get to Miranda scares the crap out of her. As her craving for him grows, she does the only thing she knows how to do ... retreat into herself and close off from Nate. But at some point being shut down and shut out can only be taken so many times and Nathan may be at the end of his limit after realizing that everything he thought they shared together may well have been based entirely on lies.I think that the best way to describe this story is to say that it is the most uncomplicated, complex story I have ever read. Now that makes sense to me, but I am not sure that it will to all of you. Basically what I mean is that the story is easily understandable and the plot is relatively simple, but the characters are complex. Miranda more so than Nathan. The story could easily have been cut into a quick novella, but instead, Ms. Elliott thought out the characters and executed a terrific story. What I enjoyed the most is that Miranda and Nate switch roles from the traditional girl goes swoon over guy and guy struggles with forever. Nate knows what he wants and has to convince Miranda that they have hope for a future. Not to mention the HEA wasn't spoon-fed. I always enjoy the characters having to work for their happiness a bit before attaining it.I thought I saw that this story was the first in a series of four. But I haven't been able to locate the site where it said such. I can only hope that it is true because the secondary characters can sure use stories of their own. Leo for one I am crazy curious about; especially after his little bomb drop about everyone having secrets. I know that Nathan's brother, Noah, definitely needs his own story. And Macy seems to have a lot to say which could easily morph into her own story. It will be interesting to see if I am right. Until then, I highly recommend this story. The character interaction is fresh and witty, not just with the main characters, but with the secondary characters who enhance the story tremendously. And the electricity between Nate and Miranda practically crackles off of the pages. For an enjoyable read that you will not regret passing time with and characters that quickly draw you in, tossed liberally with exciting intimacy, UNCROSS YOUR HEART is a must read.(EBook copy provided by author for review.)