A review by stephaniek219
The Guy on the Left by Kate Stewart
5.0
A FANTASTIC story by Kate Stewart. TGOTL can be read as a standalone, but don’t. Make sure you read TGOTRight first.
It’s in TGOTR that we first met Troy. Troy the jock, the roommate that pays rent late, the womanizer, the player who hits on girls he shouldn’t.
But we never really know him. Not until we see his heart in TGOTL. I KNEW he had a big old bleeding heart buried in there! I spent a lot of time during this story bleeding for him. He is often judged and labeled, and he chooses to never correct others opinions. The problem with that then, is others opinions become expectation- even for himself.
Clarissa is an amazing single mom, that has worked to more than just survived. She and Dante have flourished. Dante is a kid that honestly nearly steals the show in the story. Clarissa’s big flaw though, is that she holds a grudge like none other. This is a rare story for me in that I’m cheering for the H waaay more than the h. It’s Clarissa that needs more work than Troy. I was frustrated with her for not acknowledging and building on what she saw in Troy.
But like all of Kate Stewart’s stories, this is realistic romance. Wouldn’t we all as moms be doubtful of someone that had lied? That we’ve seen act out his player ways? Wouldn’t it be difficult to trust someone that you felt was not trustworthy? So I get it. I get her doubt. Realistically, it would take time to get there.
And the beauty of the story is we get to witness both of them grow into the people they need to be.
It’s in TGOTR that we first met Troy. Troy the jock, the roommate that pays rent late, the womanizer, the player who hits on girls he shouldn’t.
But we never really know him. Not until we see his heart in TGOTL. I KNEW he had a big old bleeding heart buried in there! I spent a lot of time during this story bleeding for him. He is often judged and labeled, and he chooses to never correct others opinions. The problem with that then, is others opinions become expectation- even for himself.
Clarissa is an amazing single mom, that has worked to more than just survived. She and Dante have flourished. Dante is a kid that honestly nearly steals the show in the story. Clarissa’s big flaw though, is that she holds a grudge like none other. This is a rare story for me in that I’m cheering for the H waaay more than the h. It’s Clarissa that needs more work than Troy. I was frustrated with her for not acknowledging and building on what she saw in Troy.
But like all of Kate Stewart’s stories, this is realistic romance. Wouldn’t we all as moms be doubtful of someone that had lied? That we’ve seen act out his player ways? Wouldn’t it be difficult to trust someone that you felt was not trustworthy? So I get it. I get her doubt. Realistically, it would take time to get there.
And the beauty of the story is we get to witness both of them grow into the people they need to be.