Review: Past Imperfect: Nothing Imperfect about this book!! Loved it!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 17, 2014
***4.5 Past Imperfect "Wamfu" Stars***There was nothing imperfect about Past Imperfect..this book was perfection for me. I loved it and devoured this book in one sitting because I was so invested with Brad and Mabry's story. Ms. Bailey did a remarkable job in writing this beautiful and heartbreaking tale of two individuals trying to escape their painful pasts. Brad and Mabry's journey was a beautiful tale of showcasing that our past does not define us and true love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.In Present Perfect, we were first introduced to Brad Johnson and he could be only described as a jerk to put it mildly. Now the Brad in Past Imperfect did a total transformation where he was able to redeem himself. Brad may seem to have the perfect life with two successful parents as lawyers and could have any woman he wants but the looks can be deceiving. His childhood was not filled with love and family bonding. According to his parents, his birth was a mistake. The "old and immature" Brad admits that he used women and it didn't bother or affect him till one day that it all changed. This one tragic event forever changed him to transform and change his old ways. His womanizing days are over. The transformation and redemption of Brad was not an easy task for him but his efforts to redeem himself was truly remarkable. Sometimes our past haunts us with regrets and immobilize us from moving forward but Brad was able to climb out of the despair and make things right. He learned from his past mistakes and made amends with them. With the new changes Brad made to improve his life, he finally found love with Mabry Darnell. For the first time, he is in love and wants to protect and cherish it.Like Brad, Mabry Darnell's childhood was not pleasant. Her once happy loving childhood was completely shattered when her mom committed suicide. This once tragic event forever changed Mabry. That day not only Mabry's mom died but so did her father. The loss of his wife left her dad broken and depressed. She lost both parents since her dad became an empty shell of his former self. Her childhood was filled with heartache and pain and the only way Mabry could ease the hurt was to numb herself by inflicting self-harm. For years, she never felt loved and so self-harm was her coping mechanism. When Brad and her relationship was getting serious, Mabry tried to distance herself fearing that everyone she loves is going to end up leaving her. Luckily for her Brad didn't see it that way. He never once gave up on Mabry. He meant every word when he said that he loved her.As Mabry and Brad navigates this uncharted territory of love, their past seems to collide with the present. It seems that no one can escape their past. The past is a reminder to us all that it did happen and it cannot be changed but the future can be. Ms. Bailey's back and forth of the present and past allows readers to understand how far Brad and Mabry's pain goes. Some scars are not seen but they are there. Will their past dictate their future? How long can Mabry hide her secret of self-harm? Will Brad finally find forgiveness with himself and will his love be enough to help Mabry out of the darkness?Ms. Alison Bailey did it again. Her writing truly captured my heart and I felt every ounce of emotion Brad and Mabry evoked. I loved how Ms. Bailey was able to show the transformation and growth of two imperfect and flawed characters. Past Imperfect dealt with heavy subject matters but what I love about this book was that Ms. Bailey did not sweep the issues of depression, suicide, and self-harm under the rug. She allowed readers to understand yes there are people out there who are suffering and going through this. It reminds us all that a helpful hand and a shoulder to lean on is sometimes one step for them to realize that they are not alone. As for the epilogue, I LOVE IT !!! It was one of the best epilogue that I read and I couldn't stop smiling while reading. It was a perfect completion to Brad and Mabry's story and I loved every word of it. Truly, Past Imperfect reminds us all that life is not about the destination but the journey. The journey of Brad and Mabry was filled with many heartaches, disappointments, fears, love, and tears but through it all this couple showed us how strong their love for each other was. Brad and Mabry's imperfect past will always be there but together they will write their beginning and ending. All there is left to say is go read Past Imperfect and join Brad and Mabry as they discover how two broken imperfect and flawed individuals found peace, love and closure.