Review: uplifting, clean romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 24, 2013
I absolutely loved this book. I blasted through it in just two days, devising all sorts of creative ways to distract and entertain my kids so I could grab enough time to read another chapter.The chilling tale of abuse in this story ripped at my heart. However, I liked the hopeful note to the story. Despite the heavy topic, I read the last page and felt uplifted. While the abuse is a big part of the story, for me what this book was really about was the healing power of love. I loved watching Archer and Ivy's characters change and grow as they fell in love.I think what compelled me the most about this book was the obvious emotion. The characters were so real and the emotions they felt so authentic. I loved Ivy's group of friends, especially Gunner. And Archer--he was the perfect hero. Protective, attractive, yet flawed. And Ivy was a great lead. She had so much strength of character, so much bravery. I think her courage is such a great example to other women struggling with abuse. And Desee was adorable!I also thought the narrative voice in this book was great. There were some laugh-out-loud one-liners and truly hilarious bits, which I was not expecting given the subject manner. I've always been a fan of this author's work, but this story exceeded all my expectations.