Review: Liked this book - but wanted to love it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 28, 2013
Just finished this book. Am at a cross roads between really liking this book and being really disappointed.WHILE I read this book - I am excited to turn every virtual page on my Kindle. Am so excited to read what happens next. The twists and turns are a bit contrived and maybe even over the top, but I am still completely engaged.Then things wrap up in the end and I am feeling a little bit 'taken in' by the author. Like the author is trying to manipulate my emotions and feelings and then at the ends continues to do it - but badly.So the premise of the book is that an extremely hardworking, driven, (and yes, super sexy) Reed is working as an accountant. Already, nerdy field with super hunk? Okay - I kept going with it.Sophia is a gorgeous woman who works in the same office as Reed. She has a history of going out with 'broken' men in attempts to heal them.Eventually, they paths cross romantically and bomb after bomb drops - revealing various tragic events in certain characters' lives.Again, as a reader, I was still engaged. A little surprised at the depth of the tragedies, but still hanging in there with baited breath.Then...it seems each character reveals a depth of strength that astounds us all, and are on the fast lane to healing.I think that is what bothered me the most. The tragedies are so profound, yet the repercussions/effects are fairly minimal. I expected more angst, or struggling. It was more like, "Hmmmm,I don't feel worthy". and just lighting up more cigarettes does not seem to be a great way to heal.So....with that said.I still gave the book 4 stars because it still hit that 'spot' for me. The one that says, "I would like to read a romance with a HEA, with some steamy scenes, gorgeous characters, interesting plot, no cliffhangers, where we like the characters (even the supporting characters), with some humor, or sass. No major misunderstandings, nor too heavy angst. No characters that are so broken and just feel unworthy all the time, nor perpetually grieve for their losses. Yup. This fill the bill."The author throws in some great scenes of Reed attempting to join the main stream society during his healing process, that are fantastic. I loved it. Like a kid trying to learn how to overcome the fear of jumping off a diving board, or learning how to ask someone over for a playdate. It's adorable. A bit juvenile, but it makes Reed so incredibly endearing. And how Sophia walks him through all of it, she is a trooper and all heart. We love her for how she completely takes Reed under her maternal wing.This book was enjoyable and fun to read with heart-felt characters and an easy to follow plot.Enjoy.