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A review by tucker4
Sing My Name by Ellen O'Connell
3.0
I love all of Ellen O'Connell's other books, but this one didn't quite do it for me.
One was the writing style at times, I don't remember this from any of her other books, but in this one she had a habit of hinting at something, but not fully explaining it for a few more pages. This threw me a few times. And in a similar way there were times when things just weren't explained well in general. The ending in particular comes to mind here as the final confrontation was written a little vaguely. I had to read it a few times to get the gist of what had happened.
These other two things that bothered me are just my personal preferences. One was that I didn't fall in love with Matt. Of all of O'Connell's leading characters I found him the least consistent and believable. However, the dialogue between Matt and Sarah (which is one of the author's strengths in my opinion) was still good. Not quite up to par as her other books - which are often knock-you-on-your-ass romantic - but still frequently better than most.
The last point is that most of the book is rather on the sad side, IMO. Its heartbreaking most of the time that forces keep these two apart. I like my romances to be a little happier. Also, what I loved in O'Connell's other books was that the hero and heroine spent the majority of the book falling in love. It always felt believable to me that her characters would get to know each other over many months and then fall in love. This book doesn't follow this formula.
Still a book by Ellen O'Connell is still better than most. She has a way with words at times that speaks to the heart.
"One thing about it, staying awake all night making sure she didn't talk or cry out in her sleep was going to be easy. No power on earth could make him sleep through one moment of holding her."
"I forgot that happiness isn't just a quiet, passive thing. It isn't just the lack of unhappiness. This is happiness, this wild, delicious feeling fizzing inside me."
One was the writing style at times, I don't remember this from any of her other books, but in this one she had a habit of hinting at something, but not fully explaining it for a few more pages. This threw me a few times. And in a similar way there were times when things just weren't explained well in general. The ending in particular comes to mind here as the final confrontation was written a little vaguely. I had to read it a few times to get the gist of what had happened.
These other two things that bothered me are just my personal preferences. One was that I didn't fall in love with Matt. Of all of O'Connell's leading characters I found him the least consistent and believable. However, the dialogue between Matt and Sarah (which is one of the author's strengths in my opinion) was still good. Not quite up to par as her other books - which are often knock-you-on-your-ass romantic - but still frequently better than most.
The last point is that most of the book is rather on the sad side, IMO.
Spoiler
For the first 30% they are fighting for their lives escaping Comanches and traveling across the Texas desert. Then, when they are rescued, they are separated and Matt goes to trial and then jail for 3 years. Sarah has a baby on her own and has to learn to survive and Matt gets so beat up he loses an eye and is severely scarred. Then Matt is released and they spent the next four years apart for no good reason. When they are finally reunited (60% in) Matt is determined for Sarah to have a life without him in it.Still a book by Ellen O'Connell is still better than most. She has a way with words at times that speaks to the heart.
"One thing about it, staying awake all night making sure she didn't talk or cry out in her sleep was going to be easy. No power on earth could make him sleep through one moment of holding her."
"I forgot that happiness isn't just a quiet, passive thing. It isn't just the lack of unhappiness. This is happiness, this wild, delicious feeling fizzing inside me."