Scan barcode
anovelglimpse's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This is an interesting review for me to write. When I started this book, I didn't realize it was a Christian romance. It started out like any other contemporary romance I've read where the couple has accidentally married in Vegas. I didn't realize the Christian part until both characters randomly prayed/mentioned their relationship with God a little bit into the story. I'm not a regular reader of Christian fiction, so I didn't any expectations going in regarding that aspect of the story. And to be honest, there was so little mention of church, faith, and God in the first 2/3 of the story that it felt like any other contemporary romance read for the most part. The last 1/3 of the book was much heavier in this aspect, and I didn't love that. It overshadowed some of the big moments between Celia and Ty for me. I liked the message of forgiveness but found it to be too much at times. There was also another approval thing that rubbed me wrong. BUT take my thoughts with a grain of salt since this book was not necessarily marketed for me.
One of the reasons I mentioned all that was that I read through a bunch of reviews for this book after reading it. I was curious as to what other readers thought. I was really surprised that many thought it was too forward with the hint of Celia and Ty having sex after they got married, the kisses and lusting after each other, and the mention of alcohol. The stuff that made this book feel real and that made this a story I enjoyed were what some readers didn't like about it. Honestly, I thought it was pretty tame. I would go as far as saying I would let my teenage daughter read it and I'm picky about those things in her books. I am not most readers for this book/genre though.
As for the characters and their story, I enjoyed it for the most part. Celia and Ty had an interesting path to each other. Celia loved Ty for years. His love for someone else and abandonment of their marriage scarred her deeply. She held onto the grief and anger she had for him with all her might. His showing back up in her carefully crafted life with her daughter opened up something in her she thought was put aside forever. I understood her pain but was also frustrated with her the entire time. That's not to say I felt bad for Ty. The guy was an idiot when it came to love and relationships. The way he held on for Tawny was foolish, especially with how attracted he was to Celia and how being around her made him feel. His most redeeming quality was how he cared for their daughter. His moments with her were adorable. Even though I didn't always love the decisions Celia and Ty made, I loved the life they were building without even really realizing they were building it. Once they worked through all their inner turmoil, they became a strong couple. One I could see lasting.
I have to thank my fellow blogger Carrie (Reading is My SuperPower) for recommending this book to me. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise and I enjoyed listening to it. The writing was good and so was the narration.
One of the reasons I mentioned all that was that I read through a bunch of reviews for this book after reading it. I was curious as to what other readers thought. I was really surprised that many thought it was too forward with the hint of Celia and Ty having sex after they got married, the kisses and lusting after each other, and the mention of alcohol. The stuff that made this book feel real and that made this a story I enjoyed were what some readers didn't like about it. Honestly, I thought it was pretty tame. I would go as far as saying I would let my teenage daughter read it and I'm picky about those things in her books. I am not most readers for this book/genre though.
As for the characters and their story, I enjoyed it for the most part. Celia and Ty had an interesting path to each other. Celia loved Ty for years. His love for someone else and abandonment of their marriage scarred her deeply. She held onto the grief and anger she had for him with all her might. His showing back up in her carefully crafted life with her daughter opened up something in her she thought was put aside forever. I understood her pain but was also frustrated with her the entire time. That's not to say I felt bad for Ty. The guy was an idiot when it came to love and relationships. The way he held on for Tawny was foolish, especially with how attracted he was to Celia and how being around her made him feel. His most redeeming quality was how he cared for their daughter. His moments with her were adorable. Even though I didn't always love the decisions Celia and Ty made, I loved the life they were building without even really realizing they were building it. Once they worked through all their inner turmoil, they became a strong couple. One I could see lasting.
I have to thank my fellow blogger Carrie (Reading is My SuperPower) for recommending this book to me. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise and I enjoyed listening to it. The writing was good and so was the narration.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Alcohol
Hint of having had sex (married), kissing, lusting, accidental injury, mention of possible prescription drug abuse
More...