Beast by Pepper Pace

Beast by Pepper Pace

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh my goodness. This is one of those that has a sappy romantic like myself sighing.  A lonely, isolated man.  A woman who 'has it together' or so it seems, but is a wreck on the inside.  And they find each other.

The Beauty and the Beast retelling doesn't get old for me. After all, I am a die-hard romantic and a die-hard fairy tale lover.  Pepper Pace does both so well here.  Yet, instead of the Beast being grumpy and surly, Christopher is the sweetest teddy bear (although he probably resembles a Grizzly bear) imaginable.  I loved him! 

Pace challenges the reader here.  Our Beauty has a significant weight problem. And the weight problem isn't her issue, but the emotions underneath it, the ones that caused her weight issues, and the results of them.  If you've ever been overweight, you know how it is for Ashleigh.  The comments that hit like barbs, because someone thinks they have the right to say something or the fact that they are insensitive, because they've never struggled with weight problems. The assumptions made about you because of your weight. 

On the other side, she doesn't make Ashleigh into a completely harmless victim.  Ashleigh has some shallowness issues to work through.  But that's the beauty of this story.  She is able to see the beauty beneath the horrible scars and disfigurement that Christopher has.  I truly loved the emotional connection between Christopher and Ashleigh. And there was also a very sensual component to this book, for romance readers who need that in their stories.  Lots of spice and hot love scenes to go with an emotional love story that feels so authentic and timeless.

When I got to 38% on my Kindle and love declarations were made, I wondered what else could happen in this book. Well, plenty. This is a love story about not just two people finding each other, but also also finding their way to healing.  Making a life together in spite of obstacles they both face.

When you read these kinds of stories, the stubborn person in you is determined to be upset if the problem is fixed, such as the heroine losing weight, or the hero getting his disfigurement repaired. But is that truly fair to the story for the characters not to go through that passage 'just because'? After all, it's easy to stay where you are. Even harder to take that step of faith to change something about yourself for the right reasons. In this case, the resolution made so much sense and only added to this story.

If I could change anything?  That's a matter of personal tastes, and I'm sure many will disagree with me.  However, I could have done without some of the graphic language in the love scenes.  While they were scintillating and the chemistry powerful, I guess I didn't need to read certain terms when it came to body parts.  That's a small quibble.

I'm personally no grammar stickler, but there were a couple issues there.  I feel bad even pointing them out because a 100% accurate book doesn't necessarily tell a story that I love, like this somewhat imperfect one does.  Overall, I found the writing very poised, professional, and so emotionally-stirring that I couldn't help but give this a five star rating.

This was a beautiful love story. That's kind of ironic, because this story is about how what's on the surface doesn't show you everything. That what is at the heart is worth fighting for in the end.

Highly recommended to romance readers who enjoy a more sensually descriptive love story, or just any old sap who can't resist a tried and true love story.



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New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I admit I put off reading this second book in the Twilight series, for a few reasons. Maybe my love for Twilight would turn out to be a fluke. I had watched the movie recently, so it would feel like a rerun. I wasn’t ready to dive back into the series. Well, I finally manned up and read New Moon this week. I can honestly say this is one of my favorite books of all time.

Many bad things have been said about Ms. Meyer’s writing. I don’t agree with any of it. Ms. Meyer has proven to me that she can write books that I can admire and enjoy, and that I can appreciate from an artistic and literary standpoint. She brings the story to vivid life, and pulls me right into the action. She knows how to make me feel. For me, it’s not a good sign when I read a book and I feel detached, bored, withdrawn. I want to be involved in a story that I read for pleasure, which is 95% of the time I spend reading. When I read Twilight, I couldn’t get over the awe and joy I felt as I discovered the world of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. The beauty of their love story. I didn’t think this book could top that feeling. Surprisingly, it did. Ms. Meyer took the story that much deeper for me with New Moon.

I have actually read few writers that have such a gift for illustrating and bringing emotions to live. Showing the complexity of relationships, how they all come to matter and play a part of our emotional landscape. The pain that Bella feels when Edward leaves….I felt it acutely. I felt like my heart was breaking along with Bella’s. I felt angry at Edward. I was so mad I wanted to slap him. But, I also felt that same love for Edward I felt when I read Twilight. I could understand why he left, not possibly knowing that his leaving could never be the best thing for Bella. With this couple, as with my favorites in literature, you can see how mutual, how all-consuming their love for each other is. Some might call it self-destructive. But emotions don’t follow the rules. Even when people try to control them, they still manifest in other ways. Especially those that are so powerful, like the love these two people shared.

When it came to Bella’s recovery (at least partial), I thought it was so well-written as Ms. Meyer showed Bella picking herself up from the abyss that Edward and the Cullens’ departure had thrown her into. The way that Ms. Meyer showed the first four months was so beautifully evocative and yet so basic, it was that much more effective. Just each month written on a individual page. Nothing else. That’s how it was for Bella. She couldn’t stop living, not knowing what that would do to her parents. So she existed. Nothing more. After that, there was her developing relationship with Jacob Black.
Again, there was so much skill in describing how Bella becomes friends with Jake. I love how Jake is described as Bella’s sun. Her love for him that is more than just a friend, like a brother, but deeper. I know that if there was no Edward Cullen, then maybe Jake could have been Bella’s true love. But in the world where Edward existed, there was no substitute. I thought that the book would be boring without Edward, but it was far from that. I found that I loved this book even though he wasn’t technically there, except for his voice in Bella’s head. That voice that came around to warn Bella when she was in trouble. Yet at the same time, Jake had the power to hold the pain from Edward’s leaving at bay. When he would smile his sweet smile, and shine his light on Bella. Even though Jake was like a crutch that held a crippled Bella on her feet, I didn’t feel like she used Jake and gave nothing in return. Her friendship also helped him. She stood up for him and cared about him, bringing something to his life as well.

I love Bella as a character. She’s a good person, very caring, but also stubborn as a mule. I like how she is shown to be imperfect, but more than willing to examine her actions and her motives to see if she is doing what she feels is right. Yes, Bella did some immature things, but what do humans do when they are hurting? I think that considering the circumstances she went through, I don’t find fault with Bella. I think Bella might come off wrong on first glance to the casual observer. Like she is in her own little world, selfish and self-absorbed. The way I read her is what I’ve seen in people in real life like Bella. She’s one of those people whose capacity for love is all consuming. She has to hold herself at a distance or lose herself. Because some people don’t understand how deep she commits herself to others. It totally makes sense why she falls apart when Edward leaves, and then when Jake pushes her away because of what is going on with him. The fact that I respected Bella so much is why I loved this book passionately, even though my favorite character is hardly even in the book. It also testifies to Ms. Meyer’s skill at writing. Her characters keep me invested, the way they interact with each other, creating the fabric of this book, a beautifully-woven creation that sucked me in too deep to let go until I was done. I love my dad, but Charlie would be a great dad for any girl. He makes this book series special to me, just for his small parts in the books. He’s adorable!

Silly me. I didn’t expect to enjoy Jake’s story and the wolves as much as I did. I’m silly because I love werewolf stories. I’m silly because I was completely wrong. The wolf pack aspect was very interesting. I felt so much for Jake, how he was confused and at sea; how he truly believed that the wolf that had awakened in him made him bad. I was glad that he had Bella to help him see that the wolf was a beautiful thing, part of who he was. Part of why she loved him, and like she loved Edward even with his being a vampire, she would continue to love him, even as a wolf. I have to say that although Edward is still my favorite, I adore Jake tremendously. I could see what a special, sweet guy he was, how hard he tried to do what was right, and the control that he mustered when it was clear how much his ‘gift’ made control very difficult for him. I just love how he is described. He is like sunshine to Edward’s moon. So yes, I am a Jacob fan now, and well as loving his pack brothers and Emily.

Even though there is not a lot of action in this book, it still kept me riveted. I appreciated how the menace of the Volturi came off so clearly, even with very little onscreen violence. The contrast between the Cullens and the Volturi was beautifully, clearly rendered. How the Cullens had chosen the connection between them, the capacity to love over the bloodlust, even if it was terribly hard at times. This helped me to see that Edward’s motives were truly good, even if they seemed foolhardy. Once that was clear, and seeing his pain, how leaving Bella had destroyed him, I couldn’t stay mad at him. I love Edward way too much. I also adore the Cullens, especially Alice and Carlisle.

I honestly feel that this series shows a deep kind of love that I haven’t seen in all my twenty-plus years of romance reading. It’s not just boy-girl romance, either. It shows a deep, powerful romantic love, but also the love of friendship, the bonds of family (not merely by blood, but by choice), and how they all come together, serving as our greatest weaknesses, but also our greatest strengths. That’s the duality of human nature. Funny how I can learn this lesson from a book about vampires and werewolves, and a human girl caught between them. I can hardly describe how much I love this book! I’m done trying..for now!




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Tears of Heaven by Jewel Adams

Tears of Heaven A Love Story by Jewel Adams/J. Adams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Tears of Heaven was a very moving romance. It made me cry in several scenes. The devotion between Heaven and Sergei really hit home with me. I felt for Heaven, all that she had gone through, and her emotional anguish, and then her fear to open herself up to loving. And Sergei never grew impatient with her, his love steadfast, gentle, and protective--the balm to heal her wounds.

Although this is a short novella, the progression of the love affair between Heaven and Sergei felt right. They started out as respectful strangers, Sergei initially just Heaven’s employer. As Sergei taught Heaven that she could trust him, their relationship became a deep, understanding friendship and bloomed into a profound love. Sergei’s proposal made me cry. It was very romantic! I guess I was really in the mood for a sweet, emotional love story, and this definitely sated my need. I wish that there were more sweet, romantic interracial romances out there like this. If you know some, point me in the right direction. I know that Jewel Adams definitely writes these kinds of stories, so I will be reading more of her. Although the love scenes are hinted at, not described, she managed to capture the passion that was a part of Heaven and Sergei’s relationship excellently, and I didn't feel cheated that there weren't more details. And this is perfect for readers who actively seek out clean romance.

The inspirational aspects of this story are readily apparent, and make this story even richer. Heaven’s relationship with God, and her faith as a member of the LDS Church is a part of her that gives her a lot of strength. It felt realistic and natural that she would pray and let her faith dictate the lifestyle she pursued. Readers who are in the LDS Church will appreciate these elements, but those who don’t share those beliefs can still appreciate this story, as Heaven and Sergei’s faith are well-integrated aspects of their personalities, and the spiritual elements were not presented in a preachy manner.

Heaven’s issues with her abusive ex-boyfriend were well-handled. It was clear that Heaven had her reasons for staying in the relationship as long as she did, but her self-esteem and strong beliefs had give her the strength to leave. She still suffered from fears and anxiety as her ex-boyfriend stalks her, but I liked how Sergei stood by her and protected her, and that she didn’t let those stand in the way of having the relationship of her long-cherished dreams with Sergei.

I could probably go on, but I want the future readers to get to enjoy this book without me revealing too much. Tears of Heaven is a wonderful story. I am thankful to Ms. Jewel Adams for the opportunity to read and enjoy this story. She has made a loyal reader out of me.

I was listening to 'Halo' on the way home, and it fits this book perfectly.




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Reckles by Anne Stuart

Reckless by Anne Stuart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This veteran historical romance novel-reader asks this question: Do we really need any more rake heroes? No! They make me yawn and roll my eyes. But wait! What about Adrian, Viscount Rohan? Okay, maybe we can have a few rake heroes, as long as they are masterfully brought to life as Ms. Anne Stuart did with Adrian.



Yes, yes, yes! I know you will wave a hand at me and say, "You like all her books, so your opinion isn't really valid." I guess if you feel that way, you should probably stop reading this review. But, if you want to hear me out, then keep reading.



Once again, I was in raptures. Adrian is a man who doesn't deserve a woman like Charlotte. He knows it, she knows it, we know it when we're reading this story. Heck, Ms. Stuart knew it. But, I wanted him to have Charlotte so bad. Usually when the hero is an arrogant dog, I want the heroine to take his heart and stomp on it into a mushy consistency that resembles a tomato dropped from the second story of a building. Yes, I am vindictive like that. With Reckless, I was reading feverishly, anxious to see how this predator would get his prey. Adrian was so bad, in a very good way. I loved the cat and mouse game he played, how he stalked Charlotte into the garden of no return (at least if you wanted to stay celibate). I love bad boys, but I usually love the bad boys who are physically dangerous, not the skirt-chasers. But this is one bad rake that I really loved.



Another reason that I wanted Adrian and Charlotte to get together so much was because Charlotte was so in love with him. I thought she should have this man she pined for so badly (but always in a dignified way). I didn't want her heart broken, or for her to be used and abandoned, but I wanted her to have a little happiness in her life. In the scenes where Charlotte's loneliness and feelings were so poignantly displayed by Ms. Stuart’s writing, I felt my heart clench. Charlotte didn’t wear her heart on her sleeve, but Adrian knew and so did her cousin Lina. She was the consummate wallflower, awash in her isolation, in a world of perfect budding beauties; her on the wrong side of thirty, six-foot tall, and freckled, and penniless to boot. Normally I want to give the heroines who chase after the rake a good slap on the back of their head to bring them to their senses. But, in this case, I wanted them to end up together. Even so, I liked the fact that in this book, Adrian pretty much did all the pursuing; it was just up to Charlotte to surrender, and boy did Adrian make that an easy thing to do.



Their scenes of intimacy were so sexy, and so beautiful. It’s hard to describe. You could think of it as sex scenes, but there was another level there. A connection that was forming between them that I oftentimes find missing with other books with this theme. Those stolen interludes were gratifying to me, even if I knew that their time together was illicit and might end badly.



I loved that this was just the beginning of their courtship. Adrian had to go through a sea change. It’s easy to say that the right sex partner will change a rake’s heart. I don’t believe that, and I never will. But, I could totally believe that Adrian’s time with Charlotte had changed him. Something clicked inside of him when it came to Charlotte. I wonder if she was there in his mind the whole time, but she was marked ‘off-limits’ for whatever reason; and when he saw her at the Heavenly Host Revel, he decided he was going to take what he truly wanted, and damn the consequences. Even though it was so wrong of him to seduce Charlotte, I ain’t mad at him.



Being a stubborn knucklehead, Adrian does some stupid things in his relationship with Charlotte, and they both know it. I loved how Charlotte wasn’t afraid to stand up to Adrian and tell him he was being stupid. She wasn’t like putty in his hands, well at least not all the time. That powerful attraction between them held sway, but not to the point of idiocy; and, as I always demand in a good romance, it was mutual. If Charlotte was a fool for love, so was Adrian.



The secondary romance was so good. I loved Lina and Simon together. I wanted to cry for Lina and for what she’d gone through in her marriage, and how it had sent her into a very disagreeable (at least for me) lifestyle. I can’t decide if I would have liked it better if she enjoyed it or not. If I don’t like promiscuous heroes (and I don’t), I definitely don’t like lascivious heroines. With any topic that is not to my taste, it has to be done well, and it was here. I loved and respected Lina, even if I didn’t like the choices she made. This character was in Anne Stuart’s hands, and I was sighing and hoping that she would get her HEA. I loved Simon too. I liked that he called Lina on her nonsense, and she did the same for him. She opened his heart to love, and he did the same for her. They had a powerful attraction that opened the door for something more. I could totally see this couple having a happy life together, because they had a connection that surpassed the superficiality of their disparate roles in society.





I can’t say there is anything I didn’t love about this story. I mean, the suspense part wasn’t that necessary to the romance (in my mind), although it tied into the story. I don’t read romance of this sort for suspense, so I was more fixated on the progression of Charlotte/Adrian and Lina/Simon’s romances than that aspect. I loved seeing Francis, now Marquess of Haverstoke, and Elinor, his Marchioness, again, who are Adrian’s parents. I like how Francis is now a stern father, and Elinor a loving, indulgent mother. It was kind of interesting seeing Adrian getting called on the hot seat in front of his father. Made me laugh!



Gosh, I adored this book. It was a rapturous romance, and with a theme I usually don’t like. I am just not into rakes. But, some authors can deliver a story of a rake and the good woman who turns him around so well, that I am in, hook, line and sinker. Anne Stuart is my favorite author of all time for a reason. I think I’d better shut up now. I may end just babbling incoherently about how happy I feel when I read one of Ms. Stuart’s books. She only gets better (which is quite a feat), in my humble opinion. This one definitely goes on my best of 2010 list.





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Ruthlessly Bedded, Forcibly Wedded by Abby Green

Ruthlessly Bedded, Forcibly Wedded by Abby Green


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Revenge as a plot in a romance has a powerful allure for me. It's built-in tension. And I love tension in my romances. Vincenzo has every reason to hate Cara. He believes that she's partly responsible for his sister's death, and he plans to make her pay. When he meets Cara, he is affected in a way that he's not comfortable with, by her beauty and her appeal, her genuine nature. She doesn't seem like the heartless jade he believes her to be. But he goes ahead with his revenge plan, taking her back to his hotel, sleeping with her, revealing his identity and his revenge the next day, and walking away from her.

Cara is devastated to learn that the man of her dreams was out for revenge. She thought he was an angel to came to take her away from her troubles and her anguish at her brother's death, and the sweet woman he was dating in a car accident that she walks away from without a scratch. She thinks he's a dream come true, but it turns out to be a nightmare.

Two months later, she's back in Ireland, penniless, and pregnant. She goes to Vincenzo's restaurant opening to tell him she's pregnant. He thinks this is just another scam, until she shows him the papers written by her doctor. There's only one thing to be done, marriage. Vincenzo marries Cara with full intentions on keeping her at arms length, except in bed, and with plans to send her on her way with a generous settlement after the baby's born. Because he knows she'll do exactly that. Like his mother coldheartedly walked away to join her lover. But he is thrown for a loop by the genuine sweetness and wealth of spirit and heart that Cara has. He is blown away that she doesn't seem to want his money, when women wanted little but his skills in bed and his money. He is determined to seduce her into his bed and to keep her there. To penetrate the steel cage around her heart that he helped build. But he wants to keep his heart intact in the process.

This book was so intense, so emotional. I couldn't help but love it. I expected a few hours of entertainment, and I got that, but I was also moved. Cara suffered terribly, and I felt her pain. I also felt Vincenzo's confusion at trying to sort through what his past experience told Cara was, and what his eyes, senses, and his heart were determined for him to see. I wanted these two to find each other and to trust in their love for each other. To find peace together.

I have read a couple of other books by Abby Green, but this book put her on the map for me. Her writing in this book packed an emotional punch that made this book a keeper and a Grade A read for me. I came for revenge and passion, and I left with a tender heart. Highly recommended.

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Untouched by Anna Campbell

Untouched by Anna Campbell


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Thank you for writing this book, Ms. Campbell. I loved it, from beginning to end. I am an unashamed lover of virgin heroes, and Matthew is going near the top of my list. Matthew truly was a hero to die for. His passion, his integrity, his intelligence, his innocence, his anguish. Oh, my goodness. I am so in love with this man. And reading his story, and how he meets Grace, was such a wonderful experience for me. Why we love books is so unique to each reader. There is no formula for a perfect book. But, in the right hands, and with the right elements, a story can earn a place on a reader's keeper shelf, and in her heart. This is what happened with this book.

Ms. Campbell proved to me that a virgin hero is a fantastic lead for a story. I have never felt that experience made a better lover. The best lover is the one who cares for your needs and wants to please and take care of you. That sees you as an individual and wants to make each moment with you special. That you are the only person in the world that he wants to be with. Matthew showed this so well. I liked that their first time together was realistic. I would expect no less. But after that, and before that, he makes up for it. I knew that he wanted nothing more than to please Grace and to show her how much he loved her in every way possible.

Matthew was so tortured, but he never came off as weak to me. He had the strong will and the strong nature of a survivor. His keen mind is continually used and enhanced, to become a formidable weapon that he uses to protect Grace, although he is at a physical disadvantage. In my mind, brute strength will fail the user. But a strong mind, a strong spirit, will always prevail. That was the case with Matthew. It's fairly obvious, but I loved this man!!!

Although I gush and sigh over heroes, and a great hero is a huge draw for me as a reader, a well-written heroine is equally crucial for this reader. I want to believe in the love that the couple finds together, and it requires strength of character in a heroine for me to do so. I found this in Grace. Grace is a woman who embodies the elements of womanhood that I find so powerful. She has suffered much in her life. She made mistakes, but she moved forward and accepted the consequences of her choices in life. She realized that she was spoiled and expected the world to bow to her, in her youth. But as she matured, she realized that she had to make lemonade out of lemons. Although she has a very passionate heart, she values herself not to give herself away lightly or to sell herself cheaply. She was well named, because I did see a lot of grace in her.

Grace was put in a truly harrowing position in this novel. She was threatened with death and brutal rape. But instead of curling up into a ball of misery, she kept searching for a solution to her problems. I loved that she saw the beauty in Matthew. She fell in love with him, and wasn't going to let him give up on a chance of freedom. She was willing to make some tough choices for him. And despite the fact that she raised to believe it was wrong to give herself to him sexually as his mistress, her love inspired her to make the choice of her heart. Despite her love for him, she was willing to let him go, to live his life and discover what life outside of the prison he had lived in for most of his adulthood, had to offer. In a nutshell, Grace was a wonderful heroine.

Anna Campbell knows how to write romance, in my book. She can write a love story that will break your heart, but also blister the pages with passion. And the depths of the storytelling are such that you feel so enriched by reading her books. I found this book so delightfully sensual and thrilling. Each scene between Grace and Matthew was full of the delightful anticipation of when their passion for each other would culminate. Ms. Campbell did a fantastic job of building the attraction between Grace and Matthew. It would be easy to say that Matthew would have felt a burning, relentless passion for just about any woman, as a healthy young man who had been sexually unawakened before Grace. Maybe I could say that for another book that was not as well-written as this book. But, in Untouched, there was no question that what Matthew felt for Grace was unique and special. The love scenes were fantastically written, and I still replay those interactions, and all the moments between Matthew and Grace in my head. I know this is a book I will pull off my shelf for rereads many times.

I thought that the transformation of Grace's feelings for Matthew was so well-done. She starts out in fear of him, trying her best to keep her distance. But gradually, his beauty, his appeal breaks down her defences. I got the impression that his soul was calling out to hers. Call me sappy, I care not. Yes, there is the great peril that she is in, should he not take her as his mistress. But the way Ms. Campbell wrote this, showed that her decision to become his lover evolved out of her passion for Matthew, not out of desperate calculation.

I thought that the romance so delectable in this story. It was full of strong, earthy passion, but there was also a purity to it. I felt as though Matthew and Grace were soulmates. They were alone and had suffered so much, until the evil machinations of Matthew's uncle led to their meeting and getting to know each other. The menace and the peril that Matthew and Grace dealt with was so apparent, that I held my breath in expectation of how things would end. I hoped that Grace and Matthew would find their happy ending they both deserved, and I was well-rewarded.

I can only speak for myself, but I was blown away by this book. It was such an enriching experience to read this story. This is my third book to read by this author, and I am convinced that historical romance is blessed by her presence. For the third time, I was captivated, and the world fell away. I didn't want to do anything but read the book. Even if that meant I was missing out on a meal or sleep, in the meantime. Simply put, Anna Campbell writes the kind of stories that take me away, and make me believe in the intense promise of love. And that is why I read romance. This book definitely goes on my keeper shelf.

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Tempting Faith by Crystal Hubbard

Tempting Faith by Crystal Hubbard


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I remember when I realized I was in love with Keanu Reeves. It was when I watched Point Break. The scene when Keanu is soaking wet, and looking over his shoulder. The water was dripping off his black hair, and made his shirt cling to the taut muscles of his chest and biceps. It was love as only a fifteen year old girl can feel. It was a profound feeling. Yet, I can't imagine how Faith must have felt when she looked at the big screen, and she realized the man she was in love with, the man she lost, was on the big screen. Such is the story behind this wonderful novel.


Ten years ago, Faith and Alex formed a connection in a little town in West Virginia called Booger Hollow. They couldn't have been more different, and not in the obvious way. Alex was dirt poor, considered trailer trash. Faith was the pampered daughter of one of the richest men in town. But they were friends. They were deeply in love. A deadly storm took Alex away from Faith. And her heart with it. But she moved on.

Thus, seeing the very man she loved so very much on the movie screen was a painful moment. To think that Alex wasn't dead at all, but was now Zander Baron, movie star. Faith is in the position to find out what and who Zander really is. To make him face his past. She is a reporter for a celebrity magazine, and asks her editor for his story.

However, when Faith and Alex reconnect, they both realize that the story is nothing compared to the fact that their love never died, but is stronger than ever.

This book is one of those that sinks into you. It makes your stomach hurt as you ponder the incredible gift of true love, but have to face that true love doesn't solve all the problems in the world. Yet, there is the hope that love does conquer all. I felt it so profoundly, I had to put it down at times before I could muster the courage to keep reading. (It sounds silly, but it's so true).

I was prepared to be angry at Faith, thinking she would sell her love for Alex out for her revenge against him, and for a big headline. Thankfully that is not the case. Faith is a character you cannot help but love and like. She's kind, loving, and has not forgotten where she came from. She might have been a rich kid growing up, but she never acted like it. In fact, she one of the few people who gave Alex unconditional love and acceptance. My heart ached for what she suffered, thinking the boy she loved had died.

At the same time, my heart bled for Alex/Zander. If you like tortured heroes, you'll love Alex. It was intensely painful to read the flashbacks and to see how he suffered at the hands of his parents, and at the indifference and scorn of the townspeople. He was beaten and starved by his father, humilated and ignored by his mother. You wonder how people can be so cruel and hateful. I could see why he shook off the dust of that town and never looked back. But he never forgot about Faith. It seems callous at first glance, the way he walked away from her, but you have to look deeper. Faith was an unreachable dream. Faith was way too good for Alex in his mind. He thought he was doing what was best for her.

I feel sad at the ten lost years between Alex and Faith. But then I had to look at it the way I try to look at unfortunate events in real life. If the bad doesn't happen, how can the good happen? Alex needed to build his life and make something of himself. Find the self-confidence and self-worth he needed to know that he was worthy for Faith. That he was worthy period. Her saying it might not have been enough, you see.

This was a beautiful, heartfelt book. Ms. Hubbard shows her incredible, deft skill as a writer in the crafting of this love story. She manages to write a story that will break your heart with the poignant angst of young love lost and pain suffered from the cruelty of humanity, yet make you laugh out loud in other scenes. She ably juxtaposes the lazy rhythms of small-town life against the fast-paced, larger than life happenings of Southern California with all its glamour and glitz.

I used to live in Southern California, and I can testify that Ms. Hubbard captured it so well. The beauty of the mountains, the arid desert, the beautiful surf, the natural loveliness that seduces and captivates you. In sharp contrast to the facade of glitz that is Los Angeles and Hollywood. She made me miss the beauty of the setting of Southern California, but reminded me that I was glad I came back to Texas and the simple good things it had to offer this soul.

I liked that she showed how well Zander and Faith were able to adapt to the environs and the lifestyle of Southern California, but didn't lose their innate sense of what is valuable in life. Had she not done this, I probably would not have enjoyed reading about fancy clothing, expensive wine, and glitzy parties. Yet I did, because it showed how flexible and multi-layered our protagonists are. And at the same time, it made me glad that they both made it out of Booger Hollow and forged lives for themselves.

The most powerful aspect of this story was the strong, intense bond between Faith and Alex/Zander, one that never died, even though life had separated them for ten years. The love scenes are very detailed, almost erotic. But they have a beauty because they show that the attraction between Faith and Alex comes out of their intense love for each other, and the power of them expressing their connection physically.

I like that although there is some conflict between Faith and Alex, it's not so ugly that you feel their love is compromised. They have some issues to work through as Faith wants Zander to remember who he is and embrace the man she fell in love with. Zander wants to let go of the past and the ugliness of it. I could identify with both of them. You can't know who you are, unless you know where you came from. And you can't reach full potential, if you can't put the past into perspective and nullify its ability to cripple your growth. I think that Zander just had to be ready to face who he was in all ways. He needed the right catalyst, and he found it.

I can't say how much I loved this love story. It's very modern in some ways, but timeless at the same time. It reaffirms the power of the bond of love. How two souls can meet and become connected in a way that nothing can sever. People can go out of each other's lives (and live separate from each other), but when they come back together, their love is stronger because it never perished despite the time spent apart, and they have each grown as human beings fully able to realize that love. I'm such a romantic. I know that. I'm glad that Ms. Hubbard is too. This book surely shows that she is. Thanks for writing this fantastic love story, Ms. Hubbard.

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