Review: a feel-good romance that will pull at your heart strings
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 23, 2013
I have always loved this author's work, and she didn't disappoint with this one! Carter's love for Toni--and Toni's oblivion to his feelings--instantly drew me into the story. I was rooting for this couple from page 1. I was also taken in by the evidence of Toni's eating disorder, and felt my worry for her grow with each chapter.I love the emotional and romantic tension between Carter and Toni throughout the story. I felt for Carter! He was a perfect leading man. He always kept Toni's needs and feeling at the forefront of his thoughts and actions, and he was such a great best friend to Toni. I also loved Toni's reaction when she found out about Carter's feelings--it was so believable, and so not the typical romance-novel reaction to a confession of love.I felt like Toni's eating disorder was, for the most part, dealt with very well. It brought up some of the very real issues and concerns that those dealing with a disorder struggle with on a daily basis. I do wish that the matter hadn't been solved quite so neatly. I would've loved to see Toni's struggle with bulimia intensified even more. I also really wish there was an epilogue to this story--I loved Toni and Carter (and their relationship) so much, and I just wasn't ready for the book to end!A Portrait for Toni was a feel-good novel that left me with a happy sigh as I turned the last page. I felt a real emotional depth in the story, and felt myself close to tears a few times. This might be my new favorite book by this author.4.5 stars raised to 5.I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.