beckymmoe's review
5.0
Ohmygoodness--such a good book!
I was so invested in the lives of Lacey, Jem, and Levi by the end of this one I didn't even want to acknowledge that I had a life outside of the book. And only a teensy part of that was because of the work I still had to finish this weekend for end of semester ;) Most of it was just...This. Book.
I was right there with Lacey as she struggled to figure out who was the real threat to Levi...and gasped out loud (sorry Mini Moe #2! Mom really needs to stop reading when you're driving, honey!) when she and (her twin) Kacey found out from him what had happened to cause the bruising his preschool teacher had seen on his torso. I was right there with Jem, nodding along as he justified his ex-wife's behavior over and over again...until Lacey (with not a little bit of help from the crazy sauce that is Tressa herself) made me see just how toxic and manipulative she really was. And fearing that Jem was never going to really see it? Made my heart break just a little.
But then we get to the ending, which is SO GOOD. Seriously. There were tears over here. Lots of them.
Happy sigh!
I have to admit it took me until I was at about 50% before it finally clicked with me where the title came from--up until then I was scratching my head, musing First choice? But he was married before...what do they mean "first choice"? and then it hit me, and I swear I melted, just a little bit. That Jem. (dramatic sigh...) The cover, though. That is definitely not the silhouette of a four-year-old standing in between the man and the woman. But I can't deny that it's pretty, so I'll just pretend I didn't notice from here on in.
Besides, have I mentioned my love for what's behind that cover? ;)
How is it I've never read Tara Taylor Quinn before? (Quickly adding rest of series to TBR...) Please tell me Kacey's getting her own book someday, because that girl definitely deserves it, and not just because of her stellar babysitting skills... :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was so invested in the lives of Lacey, Jem, and Levi by the end of this one I didn't even want to acknowledge that I had a life outside of the book. And only a teensy part of that was because of the work I still had to finish this weekend for end of semester ;) Most of it was just...This. Book.
I was right there with Lacey as she struggled to figure out who was the real threat to Levi...and gasped out loud (sorry Mini Moe #2! Mom really needs to stop reading when you're driving, honey!) when she and (her twin) Kacey found out from him what had happened to cause the bruising his preschool teacher had seen on his torso. I was right there with Jem, nodding along as he justified his ex-wife's behavior over and over again...until Lacey (with not a little bit of help from the crazy sauce that is Tressa herself) made me see just how toxic and manipulative she really was. And fearing that Jem was never going to really see it? Made my heart break just a little.
But then we get to the ending, which is SO GOOD. Seriously. There were tears over here. Lots of them.
Happy sigh!
I have to admit it took me until I was at about 50% before it finally clicked with me where the title came from--up until then I was scratching my head, musing First choice? But he was married before...what do they mean "first choice"? and then it hit me, and I swear I melted, just a little bit. That Jem. (dramatic sigh...) The cover, though. That is definitely not the silhouette of a four-year-old standing in between the man and the woman. But I can't deny that it's pretty, so I'll just pretend I didn't notice from here on in.
Besides, have I mentioned my love for what's behind that cover? ;)
How is it I've never read Tara Taylor Quinn before? (Quickly adding rest of series to TBR...) Please tell me Kacey's getting her own book someday, because that girl definitely deserves it, and not just because of her stellar babysitting skills... :)
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
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