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The Favor
"With characteristic compassion and searing honesty, Megan Hart weaves a shattering small-town story about what can turn brother against brother, and the kinds of secrets that cannot remain untold."
Janelle Decker has happy childhood memories of her grandma's house, and even lived there through high school. Now she's back with her twelve-year-old son to look after her ailing Nan, and hardly anything seems to have changed, not even the Tierney boys next door.
Gabriel Tierney, local bad-boy. The twins, Michael and Andrew.
After everything that happened between the four of them, Janelle is shocked that Gabe still lives in St. Mary's. And he isn't trying very hard to convince Janelle he's changed from the moody teenage boy she once knew. If anything, he seems bent on making sure she has no intentions of rekindling their past.
To this day, though there might've been a lot of speculation about her relationship with Gabe, nobody else knows she was there in the woods that day...the day a devastating accident tore the Tierney brothers apart and drove Janelle away. But there are things that even Janelle doesn't know, and as she and Gabe revisit their interrupted romance, she begins to uncover the truth denied to her when she ran away all those years ago.
Janelle Decker has happy childhood memories of her grandma's house, and even lived there through high school. Now she's back with her twelve-year-old son to look after her ailing Nan, and hardly anything seems to have changed, not even the Tierney boys next door.
Gabriel Tierney, local bad-boy. The twins, Michael and Andrew.
After everything that happened between the four of them, Janelle is shocked that Gabe still lives in St. Mary's. And he isn't trying very hard to convince Janelle he's changed from the moody teenage boy she once knew. If anything, he seems bent on making sure she has no intentions of rekindling their past.
To this day, though there might've been a lot of speculation about her relationship with Gabe, nobody else knows she was there in the woods that day...the day a devastating accident tore the Tierney brothers apart and drove Janelle away. But there are things that even Janelle doesn't know, and as she and Gabe revisit their interrupted romance, she begins to uncover the truth denied to her when she ran away all those years ago.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
26 people are currently reading
1802 people want to read
About the author
Megan Hart
265 books4,057 followersMegan Hart has written in almost every genre of romantic fiction, including historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, romantic comedy, futuristic, fantasy and perhaps most notably, erotic. She also writes non-erotic fantasy and science fiction, as well as continuing to occasionally dabble in horror.
--from the author's website
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
For Megan Hart, the nutritionist, click here
--from the author's website
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
For Megan Hart, the nutritionist, click here
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
July 29, 2016
3.5 stars
This was a very engaging book. I was intrigued by the storyline. Megan Hart is better known for her erotic writing. This was not erotic. This was painful, a struggle for two families set in the past and present. The “favor” I did not see coming. . Janelle moves in with her Grandmother to take care of her when she gets cancer.
She had originally lived with nanny in her final year of High School as she did not fit in when her mother remarried. Her father had been an absent figure in her life for many years. Although when she was younger they had a sort of relationship but he was a roamer and unreliable. Janelle has a 12 year old son who moves with her.
Gabe, Andy and Michael were the Tierney brothers. Gabe always swore he would leave his hometown but he is still there. Michael has left and Andy is a changed person due to horrible circumstances.
This was probably going to be a solid 4 or 4.5 stars for me but the ending left me wanting more. I wanted more closure. I wanted an epilogue…. still it was an enjoyable read. One of those books where you can feel the atmosphere, you feel you are there with them.
I sort of felt the whole situation with the father, Ralph Tierney was not fully explored or given closure. Maybe it was just me.
“Ask me, Gabe.”
“I can’t.”
“What is it? A favor?”
“Yes.”
It’s not. It’s so much more than that, but she won’t know that until later.
“Whatever it is, are you afraid I’ll say no.”
Gabe shakes his head.
“I’m afraid you’ll say yes.”
Which, of course, she does.
This was a very engaging book. I was intrigued by the storyline. Megan Hart is better known for her erotic writing. This was not erotic. This was painful, a struggle for two families set in the past and present. The “favor” I did not see coming. . Janelle moves in with her Grandmother to take care of her when she gets cancer.
Gabe Tierney was still a jerk. He knew it. Cultivated it, as a matter of fact because it was easier that way. People gave you a wide berth if you were an asshole. They left you alone..
She had originally lived with nanny in her final year of High School as she did not fit in when her mother remarried. Her father had been an absent figure in her life for many years. Although when she was younger they had a sort of relationship but he was a roamer and unreliable. Janelle has a 12 year old son who moves with her.
Gabe Tierney had a face that could make angels weep and devils dance..
Gabe, Andy and Michael were the Tierney brothers. Gabe always swore he would leave his hometown but he is still there. Michael has left and Andy is a changed person due to horrible circumstances.
”How can you blame me for that when you asked me to do it?”.
This was probably going to be a solid 4 or 4.5 stars for me but the ending left me wanting more. I wanted more closure. I wanted an epilogue…. still it was an enjoyable read. One of those books where you can feel the atmosphere, you feel you are there with them.
I sort of felt the whole situation with the father, Ralph Tierney was not fully explored or given closure. Maybe it was just me.
“Ask me, Gabe.”
“I can’t.”
“What is it? A favor?”
“Yes.”
It’s not. It’s so much more than that, but she won’t know that until later.
“Whatever it is, are you afraid I’ll say no.”
Gabe shakes his head.
“I’m afraid you’ll say yes.”
Which, of course, she does.
June 22, 2013
Haunting, Surprising and Gripping: The Favor by Megan Hart Many readers know Megan Hart for her emotionally charged and character driven erotica novels. Hart has carved out a unique niche in erotica writing where her works involve characters that are so tangibly real you feel as if you know them and flawed so as to not be idealistic. And of course, since her erotica novels are erotica – woven through the story line are very explicit sex scenes. To say that Hart pushes boundaries is to understate what she does. The Favor is not erotica but it is sexually charged. The Favor is being described as “mainstream fiction”. The Favor is not a happy story and it is not uplifting. But I enjoyed reading it and kept wanting to get back to it. Hart is known for not having happily ever afters but instead having a “happily for now” in her erotica and I know that frustrates some readers. Not me. I find the happily for now comforting and realistic. The Favor is not and does not work itself toward a happily ever after. It is not genre based and fans of Hart looking for a hint of a happily ever after or a focus on romance may be disappointed. Fans of Hart who read her work because of how she writes characters, how she pushes comfort boundaries and how she crafts everyday life into a beautiful story – those fans will enjoy The Favor.The Favor starts with a premise that so many stories and movies begin with; it is a story line that readers must be fascinated – going home. The main character, Janelle, returns to her home town to care for her dying grandmother.
“home was the place you couldn’t escape no matter how far or fast you ran.”
Janelle is a single mother of a twelve-year old boy. She is in debt, failed at her career and alone. She hasn’t been home for years. Living next door to her childhood home is Gabe. Gabe has always lived there with his father and his brothers; and from the beginning, it is clear that Janelle and Gabe have a history. When Janelle arrives back home, the dynamic between Gabe and her is charged, emotional but distant. The story is a slow start. Hart builds each character carefully and deliberately. What I really enjoyed about Janelle is that she is strong. She has defined who she wants to be, she does what she wants to do and she does not let others thoughts of her influence her actions. She is a girl who dressed different in high school, had sex when she wanted to and sees herself as an individual:
“The truth is, it’s all about power. Get a boy on his knees, begging for just a touch, a taste, a stroking hand, and that’s gaining power.”
Hart knows how to charge a story with sex, with power and with mystery. The Favor has tension but reading the story in the beginning, I was not sure where the tension came from. From Gabe? From Janelle’s past? The Favor winds its way through Janelle and Gabe’s past with flashback scenes that flow smoothly back and forth with the present text. The twist and the cause of the tension is shocking, sad and even though it is shocking – perhaps the reader can figure it out mid-way through the book. Despite that though, the weight of the book isn’t lessened. I didn’t want to put this book down; I didn’t want to walk away. The characters were so well told I felt I was with them.So I thought I had The Favor all figured out and wham – I didn’t. The act behind what the title implies “The Favor” surprised me (I had to re-read that scene multiple times!), but given the tension and horror of what was happening during their childhood it made sense.I recommend reading The Favor for readers who enjoy character based stories and are looking for a story about real people, not just an uplifting story. The Favor will not uplift, but it will entertain and enrich.To read this review and more like it check out Badass Book Reviews.
“home was the place you couldn’t escape no matter how far or fast you ran.”
Janelle is a single mother of a twelve-year old boy. She is in debt, failed at her career and alone. She hasn’t been home for years. Living next door to her childhood home is Gabe. Gabe has always lived there with his father and his brothers; and from the beginning, it is clear that Janelle and Gabe have a history. When Janelle arrives back home, the dynamic between Gabe and her is charged, emotional but distant. The story is a slow start. Hart builds each character carefully and deliberately. What I really enjoyed about Janelle is that she is strong. She has defined who she wants to be, she does what she wants to do and she does not let others thoughts of her influence her actions. She is a girl who dressed different in high school, had sex when she wanted to and sees herself as an individual:
“The truth is, it’s all about power. Get a boy on his knees, begging for just a touch, a taste, a stroking hand, and that’s gaining power.”
Hart knows how to charge a story with sex, with power and with mystery. The Favor has tension but reading the story in the beginning, I was not sure where the tension came from. From Gabe? From Janelle’s past? The Favor winds its way through Janelle and Gabe’s past with flashback scenes that flow smoothly back and forth with the present text. The twist and the cause of the tension is shocking, sad and even though it is shocking – perhaps the reader can figure it out mid-way through the book. Despite that though, the weight of the book isn’t lessened. I didn’t want to put this book down; I didn’t want to walk away. The characters were so well told I felt I was with them.So I thought I had The Favor all figured out and wham – I didn’t. The act behind what the title implies “The Favor” surprised me (I had to re-read that scene multiple times!), but given the tension and horror of what was happening during their childhood it made sense.I recommend reading The Favor for readers who enjoy character based stories and are looking for a story about real people, not just an uplifting story. The Favor will not uplift, but it will entertain and enrich.To read this review and more like it check out Badass Book Reviews.
May 29, 2013
I'm not a big reader of mainstream fiction, so I am probably not the target audience, but Hart is a good writer. The emotional landscape is complex and gritty in this novel. Not light reading at all.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the July Issue. http://affairedecoeur.com.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur Magazine in the July Issue. http://affairedecoeur.com.
June 22, 2013
This book --- perfect!
June 22, 2013
Initial reaction: This is going to be a difficult review for me to write because I saw what it wanted to do, but the sluggish pacing to build up to the point, alongside the weakness of the actual "favor" that was asked didn't convince me/put a full impact on me. Though I will say the underlying story of abuse, responsibility, and the toggle that went through this overarching story made it worth the follow. As per usual, Hart writes well and has developed characters to show, but I couldn't get past the story's faults with flow and some structure/believable issues.
Full review:
It's been a little while since I've picked up a book by Megan Hart, and I think this was the first time I perused one of her general literature, non-erotic titles. It's worth emphasizing that this work isn't erotic at all, though there are some romantic scenes/self-pleasure scenes that don't go into too much detail, just in passing.
"The Favor" is the story of Janelle, a woman who returns to the place she once called home to care for her ailing grandmother, Nan, alongside her 12 year old son, Bennett. Janelle has a history of tough relationships, and it seems in this narrative that she flees from one bad relationship into another potential one, considering she has to contend with her past and present considerations with the family next door. The story unfolds in layers, toggling between the past and present. It unravels a rather tough past between Janelle, Gabe, and his brothers Andy and Michael. They're all adults in the present day, but tragic circumstances color their teen experiences and impact their current relationships to a fair degree.
The parts of this story that enamored me most were the relationships between Janelle and Nan, Janelle and her son, Bennett, and even Andy with his likable qualities following a tough event from the past that all of them have to come to terms with. At first I thought I would dislike Gabe for the entire narrative until I realized why he stayed in the same house with his father and disabled brother for nearly 40 years (it was guilt, and not without a fair share of substantial weight). Even with Gabe and Janelle's rekindled relationship, it still felt like I didn't see more of their intimate (read: character) development until more of the latter part of the novel and thus understood their attraction. It was difficult to follow in places.
There's an overarching theme of confronting the past, parental relationships, and moving forward in this novel that I really appreciated. I understood, in the whole of the novel, what Hart was doing with the eye to how Janelle and Gabe both had problematic parental relationships and struggles to either confront or let go of previous events in their lives. Each event accented their development in an interesting way, and that was what I gained from much of the novel's events and overarching notes.
I didn't care for the sluggish pacing, though. Even with Hart's beautiful prose and nice eye for character development and rounding, it still felt like this book lost me in places because it was a bit *too* slow to get to some of the major plot points and reveals, so they didn't nearly have as much impact for me as they potentially could've been. It's a slow burner. I think some may appreciate that slow burn and gradual reveal more than I did considering the events that unfold, but at the same time - I think for others it may take a bit of patience to get to that point, and even then the payoff may not sit well.
The other factor that didn't really engage me was the terms surrounding "The Favor". I wasn't really convinced of its foundations, though I'll admit the timing with which it was asked and executed set the motion for the horrible events of the "accident," which drove the relationships of all involved askew. Yet, I think this novel ended in a way that tied things up not necessarily in a HEA way, but at least enough to where there are some coming to terms.
It's not my favorite work from Hart, to be honest, but I thought it was worth the time taken to read. She's still an author I greatly respect for her eye to relationships and difficult issues, and I certainly will read more from her in the future.
Overall score: 2.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Harlequin MIRA.
Full review:
It's been a little while since I've picked up a book by Megan Hart, and I think this was the first time I perused one of her general literature, non-erotic titles. It's worth emphasizing that this work isn't erotic at all, though there are some romantic scenes/self-pleasure scenes that don't go into too much detail, just in passing.
"The Favor" is the story of Janelle, a woman who returns to the place she once called home to care for her ailing grandmother, Nan, alongside her 12 year old son, Bennett. Janelle has a history of tough relationships, and it seems in this narrative that she flees from one bad relationship into another potential one, considering she has to contend with her past and present considerations with the family next door. The story unfolds in layers, toggling between the past and present. It unravels a rather tough past between Janelle, Gabe, and his brothers Andy and Michael. They're all adults in the present day, but tragic circumstances color their teen experiences and impact their current relationships to a fair degree.
The parts of this story that enamored me most were the relationships between Janelle and Nan, Janelle and her son, Bennett, and even Andy with his likable qualities following a tough event from the past that all of them have to come to terms with. At first I thought I would dislike Gabe for the entire narrative until I realized why he stayed in the same house with his father and disabled brother for nearly 40 years (it was guilt, and not without a fair share of substantial weight). Even with Gabe and Janelle's rekindled relationship, it still felt like I didn't see more of their intimate (read: character) development until more of the latter part of the novel and thus understood their attraction. It was difficult to follow in places.
There's an overarching theme of confronting the past, parental relationships, and moving forward in this novel that I really appreciated. I understood, in the whole of the novel, what Hart was doing with the eye to how Janelle and Gabe both had problematic parental relationships and struggles to either confront or let go of previous events in their lives. Each event accented their development in an interesting way, and that was what I gained from much of the novel's events and overarching notes.
I didn't care for the sluggish pacing, though. Even with Hart's beautiful prose and nice eye for character development and rounding, it still felt like this book lost me in places because it was a bit *too* slow to get to some of the major plot points and reveals, so they didn't nearly have as much impact for me as they potentially could've been. It's a slow burner. I think some may appreciate that slow burn and gradual reveal more than I did considering the events that unfold, but at the same time - I think for others it may take a bit of patience to get to that point, and even then the payoff may not sit well.
The other factor that didn't really engage me was the terms surrounding "The Favor". I wasn't really convinced of its foundations, though I'll admit the timing with which it was asked and executed set the motion for the horrible events of the "accident," which drove the relationships of all involved askew. Yet, I think this novel ended in a way that tied things up not necessarily in a HEA way, but at least enough to where there are some coming to terms.
It's not my favorite work from Hart, to be honest, but I thought it was worth the time taken to read. She's still an author I greatly respect for her eye to relationships and difficult issues, and I certainly will read more from her in the future.
Overall score: 2.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Harlequin MIRA.
August 30, 2013
3.5 I've not read any fiction by Megan Hart before, and so was pleased to have the chance to read THE FAVOR after receiving an e-copy through Netgalley.
Thirty-something Janelle returns to the small Pennsylvania town of her grandmother, to care for Nan and her home during Nan's last months of life, and becomes involved once again with the next-door neighbor family, those "Tierney boys," the troublemakers without a mother. The story alternates between the present (narrated in the past tense) and flashbacks from the past (narrated in the present tense), primarily of Janelle's senior year, which she spent living with Nan after her mother offered the rebellious teen her the choice of reform school or spending the year with her grandmother. The tense choice works well, not only giving the past the immediacy felt by teenagers, but also indicating how the events of the past haunt the present for Janelle and for neighbor Gabe Tierney, the boy with whom she fell into a secret physical and emotional relationship.
I really liked the way Hart portrayed this past relationship. Janelle and Gabe never talk about what's developing between them, as if it is so special that talking about it might make what seems so tenuous and undeserved disappear. But also as if they fear that talking about it might make them actually have to admit to themselves, and, more frighteningly, to others, that they actually feel far more strongly than they pretend to, not just about each other, but also about the disappointing (and, in Gabe's case, abusive) relationships each has with their fathers.
The present-day plot focuses primarily on Janelle's care for Nan, and her relationship with her son, Bennett. These scenes are well-drawn and appealing, highlighting the difficulties as well as the joys of living in the presence of impending death of a loved one. We also see a bit into Gabe's present, still living in the same house with his ill, rude, and completely disgusting father and his disabled younger brother Andy. The picture painted of Gabe's home life, and of him as a character in the present, made it difficult for me to feel sympathy for him, even in spite of the care he takes of Andy, who has lost some of his cognitive functioning after being injured during a shooting accident. Gabe is so rude to Janelle, too, it is difficult to believe that any renewed relationship between the two would be healthy for her, even while the flashbacks made me feel such sympathy for him in his teenaged inarticulateness and struggle to protect himself and his brothers.
When should you forgive someone who hurt you? When should you forgive, but exclude someone from your life so he won't keep hurting you? When should you refuse to forgive, but still be there for someone anyway? These are the difficult questions with which Hart's novel asks not only her characters, but also her readers, to grapple. A very sad book, with just the tiniest sliver of hope at its very end.
Thirty-something Janelle returns to the small Pennsylvania town of her grandmother, to care for Nan and her home during Nan's last months of life, and becomes involved once again with the next-door neighbor family, those "Tierney boys," the troublemakers without a mother. The story alternates between the present (narrated in the past tense) and flashbacks from the past (narrated in the present tense), primarily of Janelle's senior year, which she spent living with Nan after her mother offered the rebellious teen her the choice of reform school or spending the year with her grandmother. The tense choice works well, not only giving the past the immediacy felt by teenagers, but also indicating how the events of the past haunt the present for Janelle and for neighbor Gabe Tierney, the boy with whom she fell into a secret physical and emotional relationship.
I really liked the way Hart portrayed this past relationship. Janelle and Gabe never talk about what's developing between them, as if it is so special that talking about it might make what seems so tenuous and undeserved disappear. But also as if they fear that talking about it might make them actually have to admit to themselves, and, more frighteningly, to others, that they actually feel far more strongly than they pretend to, not just about each other, but also about the disappointing (and, in Gabe's case, abusive) relationships each has with their fathers.
The present-day plot focuses primarily on Janelle's care for Nan, and her relationship with her son, Bennett. These scenes are well-drawn and appealing, highlighting the difficulties as well as the joys of living in the presence of impending death of a loved one. We also see a bit into Gabe's present, still living in the same house with his ill, rude, and completely disgusting father and his disabled younger brother Andy. The picture painted of Gabe's home life, and of him as a character in the present, made it difficult for me to feel sympathy for him, even in spite of the care he takes of Andy, who has lost some of his cognitive functioning after being injured during a shooting accident. Gabe is so rude to Janelle, too, it is difficult to believe that any renewed relationship between the two would be healthy for her, even while the flashbacks made me feel such sympathy for him in his teenaged inarticulateness and struggle to protect himself and his brothers.
When should you forgive someone who hurt you? When should you forgive, but exclude someone from your life so he won't keep hurting you? When should you refuse to forgive, but still be there for someone anyway? These are the difficult questions with which Hart's novel asks not only her characters, but also her readers, to grapple. A very sad book, with just the tiniest sliver of hope at its very end.
June 24, 2013
Megan Hart’s new book “The Favor” is a novel about the secrets in families that tears them apart. Janelle comes “home” to take care of her Nanny. She brings her 12-year old son, Bennett with her. Neither the move, (west coast to east coast) nor the transition was easy.
Next door to Nan’s is the Tierney’s house. The Tierney house is not a happy home. The three brothers grew up in an atmosphere of hate and abuse. When Janelle was a rebellious teenager, she lived with Nanny and fell in love with Gabe Tierney, the boy next door. Gabe was the moody sullen teenager who couldn’t wait to leave the town.
The story is interwoven with the present and the past. What was the “incident” in the past that the story leads up to – that and the “favor”. Both of which are uncertain until the end.
The story is not a traditional love story. It shows both the love, abuse, and distances a family can go to. The two characters have a history and you hope a future. I like the parallels that Megan Hart set up in the story between the fathers. I like how she built up to the end of the story, slowly revealing both the past and the present. I like how she showed how the past so influenced the present and the future. To me, the book was a good read that kept me interested and involved in the story. I will read other books by this author. I like how she changed character perspectives to help enrich the storyline.
*I received this book on trade for an honest review from Main Street Book Ends, my local independent bookstore.
Next door to Nan’s is the Tierney’s house. The Tierney house is not a happy home. The three brothers grew up in an atmosphere of hate and abuse. When Janelle was a rebellious teenager, she lived with Nanny and fell in love with Gabe Tierney, the boy next door. Gabe was the moody sullen teenager who couldn’t wait to leave the town.
The story is interwoven with the present and the past. What was the “incident” in the past that the story leads up to – that and the “favor”. Both of which are uncertain until the end.
The story is not a traditional love story. It shows both the love, abuse, and distances a family can go to. The two characters have a history and you hope a future. I like the parallels that Megan Hart set up in the story between the fathers. I like how she built up to the end of the story, slowly revealing both the past and the present. I like how she showed how the past so influenced the present and the future. To me, the book was a good read that kept me interested and involved in the story. I will read other books by this author. I like how she changed character perspectives to help enrich the storyline.
*I received this book on trade for an honest review from Main Street Book Ends, my local independent bookstore.
July 8, 2013
Janelle and her son, Bennett have returned to care for Janelle’s Nan. She is expected to live only a few months. This puts Janelle within a stone’s throw from Gabriel “Gabe” Tierney. She has not seen Gabe since the day in the woods when a favor was made and she left town and did not look back.
Gabe can remember that day and he is not about to easily forgive Janelle. However the longer she stays the harder it is to stay mad.
I have read many books by Megan Hart. All of them good but they were all erotic novels. So I have to say I had my reservations about reading this book. I did not know what to expect and if the author can write a good book that his not erotica. Well after reading this book I can rightfully say that Megan can write just as good book other than erotica.
As the story unfolded I got a good clue as to what tragic accident happened that day in the woods involving the Tierney brothers and Janelle. A sad accident that luckily does have a happy ending. I like that the romance connecting Janelle and Gabe was mild. This surprised me but at the same time was a good surprise. I was expecting the sparks to really fly. Even though Gabe could be a jerk at times, I still liked him. Overall a fine book. This book deserves a spot on your bookshelves.
Gabe can remember that day and he is not about to easily forgive Janelle. However the longer she stays the harder it is to stay mad.
I have read many books by Megan Hart. All of them good but they were all erotic novels. So I have to say I had my reservations about reading this book. I did not know what to expect and if the author can write a good book that his not erotica. Well after reading this book I can rightfully say that Megan can write just as good book other than erotica.
As the story unfolded I got a good clue as to what tragic accident happened that day in the woods involving the Tierney brothers and Janelle. A sad accident that luckily does have a happy ending. I like that the romance connecting Janelle and Gabe was mild. This surprised me but at the same time was a good surprise. I was expecting the sparks to really fly. Even though Gabe could be a jerk at times, I still liked him. Overall a fine book. This book deserves a spot on your bookshelves.
January 17, 2020
4.5 stars.
Loved it!
Megan Hart has written in several genres. So far, I've stuck with romance. Some mainstream fiction. No horror, though. Not even for Hart. This past year I've been going through her books that were published by Harlequin, and The Favor is her third mainstream book I've read.
And my favorite!
No surprises there. I loved All the Lies We Tell and All the Secrets We Keep, and this book had a similar feel. Small town. Neighbors. Someone coming back home after many years. A past tragedy. A bit of mystery. Romance here and there. And lots and lots of family drama. I gobbled it all up.
Now I'd like to write down some things about the plot to have a reminder for when I start to forget what this novel is about. This is usually the difficult part when I write about Megan Hart's books. Her stories tend to have multiple plots, they're rich in detail, her characters are complex, as are their relationships with the other characters in the book. It makes for an interesting read, but not so easy to summarize. This is no exception.
The Favor follows two characters Janelle and Gabe and their two families with all their problems, past and present. Janelle is back in town to care for her sick grandmother after many years of being away, and finds that not much has changed. Including the next-door neighbors. We follow Janelle as she navigates taking care of her grandma who has more bad days than good, being a mother to a twelve-year-old boy who's having troubles in his new environment, all the while trying hard not to make mistakes with her son that her dad made with her. She is also trying to get closer to Gabe, who used to be more than a neighbor to her.
Gabe, on the other hand, is trying to be an asshole to Janelle. He's taking care of his old abusive father, and younger bother Andy with impaired faculties that were the result of an accident that happened when they were teenagers. Both Gabe and Janelle carry the burden of guilt over what happened to Andy.
As the story progresses in the present, we're also given flashbacks to Gabe's, and Janelle's past, and Gabe and Janelle's past relationship, giving us a fuller picture of why the characters are the way they are. Slowly, we get to the favor that went badly, and what exactly happened with Gabe and Andy years ago. Suffice to say, things were not as they seemed.
This family drama wasn't all romance-free. Gabe didn't manage to chase Janelle with his assholeness. This time. I just wish there was more about them at the end. Just to make sure they made it.
At the beginning I said this was my favorite Hart's Harlequin mainstream title. I'd say it's because there's that romantic element to the story. Plus, after a cult and mass suicide in All Fall Down, and the horrible childhood the heroine had in Lovely Wild, this was almost mild. Almost, but not quite. There's still neglect, abuse, and tragic accident. Hey, at least there was no cult in sight.
The Favor is one more book to remind me why I'm a fan of Megan Hart's storytelling.
May 21, 2013
This was a hard book to read on a couple of fronts. The biggest and most important is because it is a slow moving book. I would compare it to an onion. There are layers, upon layers, upon layers and just when you think you have it figured out you realize you don't have a clue. Also I think this is the kind of book that would be better upon the second read. You know how things end, so you can spend more time interpreting and see that the whole thing was right there in front of your face the whole time.
I am not sure how I feel about how the story evolved. We start out in the present, get to know the characters, but you can tell there is a lot of history there, not much of it good. It seems like when the characters hit a difficult time in the present we get sent back to the past, usually to a spot that allows you to get a partial answer with more questions.
I really loved Nan, but felt sorry for her. Her situation has to be the hardest for a person to deal with. You knew at times she realized she was being difficult, but couldn't help it. At first I thought the rest of the family brought Janelle in because they didn't want to deal with Nan, which sort of made me hate them, or at least gave me another reason to hate them. Instead we see that Nan specifically wanted Janelle to help her because she would be able to handle the bad parts. When Nan was Nan, I loved the relationship she had with Janelle.
It was hard to see Janelle struggle with the same issues but on different scopes, her son and her grandmother. I sort of expected a breakdown scene for Janelle, one where she goes outside and looses it, god knows I would have. I thought Janelle is a good mother, she tries to let Bennett be a kid, while still showing him the "right" way in life. I liked learning about Janelle's dad, mostly because I thought she made the right decision at the end. We reap what we sow and that man sowed nothing.
The Tierney boys were a wild card for me. I kept thinking I had everything down there, but that is where I kept getting surprised. I felt sorry for Andy, but wanted to know more. He was so sweet and it seemed like he got the shaft more often than not. I loved that he got to be buddies with Bennett. The crush didn't surprise me, but what did was Janelle's avoidance of it.
I didn't care for Father Mike, even more so when all the facts were laid out. I happen to think that he took the easy way out and his visits were his way of penance.
I am torn with Gabe. For most of the book I thought he was the biggest asshole around. I wanted to know what happened with his father that there was so much animosity, but it never came out. Or I should say it didn't come out until the last few pages and then things started to click for me. Gabe's choice to stay was his own for of penance.
As for "the favor", well that one blew me away for so many reasons. The first being just what the favor was, the second being the timing of when the favor was asked. It also didn't surprise me that it was after the favor that everything went to hell!
In the end though I liked where the three main characters ended up. Andy remembered enough to be the hero, which I think helped him take the next step in his life. Either way I am glad to see where he was. As for Gabe and Janelle, with all the bad things and hurt between them, I have a feeling that they have a fresh start, one where they could make it work. Or maybe that is just what I want for them, so that is how I see them.
I am not sure how I feel about how the story evolved. We start out in the present, get to know the characters, but you can tell there is a lot of history there, not much of it good. It seems like when the characters hit a difficult time in the present we get sent back to the past, usually to a spot that allows you to get a partial answer with more questions.
I really loved Nan, but felt sorry for her. Her situation has to be the hardest for a person to deal with. You knew at times she realized she was being difficult, but couldn't help it. At first I thought the rest of the family brought Janelle in because they didn't want to deal with Nan, which sort of made me hate them, or at least gave me another reason to hate them. Instead we see that Nan specifically wanted Janelle to help her because she would be able to handle the bad parts. When Nan was Nan, I loved the relationship she had with Janelle.
It was hard to see Janelle struggle with the same issues but on different scopes, her son and her grandmother. I sort of expected a breakdown scene for Janelle, one where she goes outside and looses it, god knows I would have. I thought Janelle is a good mother, she tries to let Bennett be a kid, while still showing him the "right" way in life. I liked learning about Janelle's dad, mostly because I thought she made the right decision at the end. We reap what we sow and that man sowed nothing.
The Tierney boys were a wild card for me. I kept thinking I had everything down there, but that is where I kept getting surprised. I felt sorry for Andy, but wanted to know more. He was so sweet and it seemed like he got the shaft more often than not. I loved that he got to be buddies with Bennett. The crush didn't surprise me, but what did was Janelle's avoidance of it.
I didn't care for Father Mike, even more so when all the facts were laid out. I happen to think that he took the easy way out and his visits were his way of penance.
I am torn with Gabe. For most of the book I thought he was the biggest asshole around. I wanted to know what happened with his father that there was so much animosity, but it never came out. Or I should say it didn't come out until the last few pages and then things started to click for me. Gabe's choice to stay was his own for of penance.
As for "the favor", well that one blew me away for so many reasons. The first being just what the favor was, the second being the timing of when the favor was asked. It also didn't surprise me that it was after the favor that everything went to hell!
In the end though I liked where the three main characters ended up. Andy remembered enough to be the hero, which I think helped him take the next step in his life. Either way I am glad to see where he was. As for Gabe and Janelle, with all the bad things and hurt between them, I have a feeling that they have a fresh start, one where they could make it work. Or maybe that is just what I want for them, so that is how I see them.
June 10, 2013
Rating 9.5/10
The Favor is a captivating, thought provoking, and at times heartbreaking, work of literary fiction. I have to admit I was apprehensive given what I know about some of Hart’s other novels in a different genre, but this novel completely blew me away.
When Janelle Decker’s uncle calls, asking if she, along with her son, could move from California to Pennsylvania to look after her terminally ill Nan, the proposition is both daunting and surprisingly welcome. Having lived with her Nan during the ‘vacation’ times she was supposed to be spending with her dad, and permanently during her rebellious alcohol and drug fueled senior year of high school, St. Mary’s is in some ways home, and in other ways representative of parts of her life she tried to leave behind.
Having once been the one tucked into bed and looked after by her Nan, and now having the tables turned, seems to be the only thing that has changed in St. Mary’s. The house is virtually the same, as are the neighbors, including Gabriel “Gabe” Tierney, Janelle’s first love. Seeing Gabe again is exciting, confusing, and heart breaking – the same feelings he left her with as a teenager. Janelle’s life, and as she quickly discovers, the life of the Tierney boys are anything but simple. The narrative is slowly revealed through the alternating perspectives of Janelle and Gabe, both in the present day and throughout their younger lives, focusing on the relationships between Janelle, her Nan, her son Bennett, and Gabe, with an undercurrent of Janelle discovering the truth about the devastating accident involving Gabe and his brothers, leaving his brother Anthony shot in the head and permanently disabled.
The novel has elements of romance that Hart fans may know her for, but it is about so much more than just the relationship between Janelle and Gabe. The family histories, family secrets, and pain that both Janelle and Gabe have had to endure at the hands of their fathers is a unifying force between the two and a compellingly addictive story for the reader. The novel at times is so much more about what is not said, and not explained, than what is. Some of the best elements are the beautiful relationships between Janelle and her Nan, and the tension relieving friendship between Bennett and Anthony that shows how far one will go to protect the people they love.
The one complaint I have is about what ‘the favor’ is revealed to be. I get that this one favor sets many other events in motion, but I didn’t necessarily believe – or maybe I just didn’t want to believe – that the person who does the favor, would have actually done it. Overall, the novel is a very well constructed, and entirely engrossing, character driven story about family revelations from which you learn what you can, and what you will never, be able to forgive.
Recommended for a mature reading audience because of tougher content including abuse.
*** I received a copy of this novel from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was in no way compensated.
The Favor is a captivating, thought provoking, and at times heartbreaking, work of literary fiction. I have to admit I was apprehensive given what I know about some of Hart’s other novels in a different genre, but this novel completely blew me away.
When Janelle Decker’s uncle calls, asking if she, along with her son, could move from California to Pennsylvania to look after her terminally ill Nan, the proposition is both daunting and surprisingly welcome. Having lived with her Nan during the ‘vacation’ times she was supposed to be spending with her dad, and permanently during her rebellious alcohol and drug fueled senior year of high school, St. Mary’s is in some ways home, and in other ways representative of parts of her life she tried to leave behind.
Having once been the one tucked into bed and looked after by her Nan, and now having the tables turned, seems to be the only thing that has changed in St. Mary’s. The house is virtually the same, as are the neighbors, including Gabriel “Gabe” Tierney, Janelle’s first love. Seeing Gabe again is exciting, confusing, and heart breaking – the same feelings he left her with as a teenager. Janelle’s life, and as she quickly discovers, the life of the Tierney boys are anything but simple. The narrative is slowly revealed through the alternating perspectives of Janelle and Gabe, both in the present day and throughout their younger lives, focusing on the relationships between Janelle, her Nan, her son Bennett, and Gabe, with an undercurrent of Janelle discovering the truth about the devastating accident involving Gabe and his brothers, leaving his brother Anthony shot in the head and permanently disabled.
The novel has elements of romance that Hart fans may know her for, but it is about so much more than just the relationship between Janelle and Gabe. The family histories, family secrets, and pain that both Janelle and Gabe have had to endure at the hands of their fathers is a unifying force between the two and a compellingly addictive story for the reader. The novel at times is so much more about what is not said, and not explained, than what is. Some of the best elements are the beautiful relationships between Janelle and her Nan, and the tension relieving friendship between Bennett and Anthony that shows how far one will go to protect the people they love.
The one complaint I have is about what ‘the favor’ is revealed to be. I get that this one favor sets many other events in motion, but I didn’t necessarily believe – or maybe I just didn’t want to believe – that the person who does the favor, would have actually done it. Overall, the novel is a very well constructed, and entirely engrossing, character driven story about family revelations from which you learn what you can, and what you will never, be able to forgive.
Recommended for a mature reading audience because of tougher content including abuse.
*** I received a copy of this novel from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was in no way compensated.
May 12, 2013
Megan Hart always writes novels that are raw and unsettling and wonderful in equal parts. This one is no exception - I love that the characters need time to accept their feelings and that not everything is "all right" in the end. Greater review to follow.
EDIT:
Anyone who has read anything by Megan Hart will know that she doesn’t take it easy on you as a reader. Her characters are complex and damaged, her stories are difficult and sometimes hard to read, and there isn’t necessarily a “happily ever after” ending. The Favor is no exception, but I have to say that it may rank as one of my all-time favourite books by her.
Janelle is back in town to take care of her rapidly declining Nan, a woman she loves unreservedly. With her is her son, who has not taken the transition to a new town and new school as well as his mom might have hoped. Complicating things is the presence of the Tierney family, still living next door to Janelle’s Nan. Once upon a time, Janelle and Gabe were a couple, until something terrible tore them apart. No one really knows what happened – least of all Janelle, but sometimes secrets can’t stay buried.
Here’s the thing: I love Megan Heart as an author because her characters are REAL. They struggle, they act irrationally when they are emotional, and their feelings are hurt. Bad stuff happens, and they fight to cope with it. Janelle and Gabe are damaged people, and it takes time – a year, in this case – for them to begin to come around to each other again.
The longer time frame makes this a very different book. There’s a natural evolution to everything, from Nan’s decline to Bennett’s struggle to adapt to a new school, to Gabe’s relationship with his father and the twins’ very different paths. It also gives us time to flashbacks, and for us to see just how things went so horribly wrong and ultimately, who is to blame for each situation. I will admit to wanting to smack Janelle’s family upside of the head for not supporting her more, but that might just be a trigger point with me – still, the emotions brought out in this book may be unexpected and rather violent.
As with most of Hart’s books, there isn’t a ‘Happily Ever After’ to the story, but there is a Happy for Now, and I’m more than okay with that.
EDIT:
Anyone who has read anything by Megan Hart will know that she doesn’t take it easy on you as a reader. Her characters are complex and damaged, her stories are difficult and sometimes hard to read, and there isn’t necessarily a “happily ever after” ending. The Favor is no exception, but I have to say that it may rank as one of my all-time favourite books by her.
Janelle is back in town to take care of her rapidly declining Nan, a woman she loves unreservedly. With her is her son, who has not taken the transition to a new town and new school as well as his mom might have hoped. Complicating things is the presence of the Tierney family, still living next door to Janelle’s Nan. Once upon a time, Janelle and Gabe were a couple, until something terrible tore them apart. No one really knows what happened – least of all Janelle, but sometimes secrets can’t stay buried.
Here’s the thing: I love Megan Heart as an author because her characters are REAL. They struggle, they act irrationally when they are emotional, and their feelings are hurt. Bad stuff happens, and they fight to cope with it. Janelle and Gabe are damaged people, and it takes time – a year, in this case – for them to begin to come around to each other again.
The longer time frame makes this a very different book. There’s a natural evolution to everything, from Nan’s decline to Bennett’s struggle to adapt to a new school, to Gabe’s relationship with his father and the twins’ very different paths. It also gives us time to flashbacks, and for us to see just how things went so horribly wrong and ultimately, who is to blame for each situation. I will admit to wanting to smack Janelle’s family upside of the head for not supporting her more, but that might just be a trigger point with me – still, the emotions brought out in this book may be unexpected and rather violent.
As with most of Hart’s books, there isn’t a ‘Happily Ever After’ to the story, but there is a Happy for Now, and I’m more than okay with that.
June 21, 2013
Grade 4.75/5.0 or A-
Megan Hart is well known for her excellent writing and successful combination of edgy erotic romances and contemporary fiction. Hart’s excellent writing style is definitely present in this novel, however, do not expect to find an erotic romance or romance as the main focus. In The Favor, this multi talented writer dives straight into adult contemporary fiction and adds a touch of an unconventional romantic relationship.
Two wild teenagers with secrets that would shape the rest of their lives, secretly reach for each other as a saving grace until one betrays the other's trust by asking a favor that ends up hurting everyone involved. Twenty years later, long after a tragedy visited the Tierney boys, Janelle returns to St. Mary's to care for her dying Nan and finds that Gabe still lives next door, now acting as a sort of care taker to his sick father and brother Andy. Moody Gabe. Unreachable Gabe. A sexy Gabe who does not want to give Janelle the time of day or even a chance to talk about the present, never mind act on the mutual attraction that still exists between them or discuss their shared, troubled past.
Hart utilizes the narrators, Janelle and Gabe, to deeply explore their characters by exposing personal flaws, intimate vulnerabilities, and raw pain. Through them, the reader also learns what drives key secondary characters. Chapters shift between the present and past, the present narrated by Janelle and the past by Gabe, as Hart keeps the reader intrigued by strongly weaving past and present events until all is revealed.
As in most good literary fiction, however, motivations behind actions by certain characters remain obscure, and it is left up to the reader to dig and/or interpret what lies behind those actions. For example, Gabe's brother Andy is key to the unfolding story, as is Andy's twin brother Michael. Yet, the real motive behind Michael's reactions is not revealed in detail to the reader, particularly when compared to Andy. Motives behind the relationship that took place between Gabe's parents are also implied but not specified.
Overall, the characterization is excellent. Janelle, Gabe, Andy and Nan all possess strength of character, which contrast sharply with flaws, fears, weaknesses and the dreadful situations they encounter. That contrast imbues these characters with a human touch that emotionally connects them with the reader. They lingered with me; Gabe and Janelle, Andy and Janelle's son Bennett, Nan . . . and yes, Mr. Tierney.
There are very few slow moments to be found, they are in a few sections where Janelle cares for Nan, otherwise the story flows at a steady pace. Plot-wise, I love how Hart conveys the dreadful situation taking place in Gabe's home by setting up a tense atmosphere through Gabe's present tense, first point of view narrative. There are dark spaces, moments, and although the darkest of the dark are not graphically described, they are there, strongly implied. This method of imparting information is so effective that I reread some sections to make sure that imagined details were not there! She uses this same method when Gabe narrates his secret, emotionally and sexually charged, encounters with Janelle.
In this novel, Hart explores selfishness and selflessness, parental abuse and neglect, guilt, regret, and love. Her characters survive dysfunctional familial relationships, wrestle with duty vs. love, and trauma vs. survival. In the end, is forgiveness always necessary or possible? When is it necessary? When is it possible?
When I search for contemporary fiction, I hunt for, and hope to find, novels like The Favor. Stories that keep me intrigued with substance, and emotionally invested in the characters. I read, have read, quite a few contemporary fiction books lately, and it is not easy to find the ones that deliver on the premise or do not overreach. With The Favor, Hart strikes that fine balance by delivering on the initial premise with both substance and fine writing, and not overreaching by maintaining a tight focus. Highly recommended.
Megan Hart is well known for her excellent writing and successful combination of edgy erotic romances and contemporary fiction. Hart’s excellent writing style is definitely present in this novel, however, do not expect to find an erotic romance or romance as the main focus. In The Favor, this multi talented writer dives straight into adult contemporary fiction and adds a touch of an unconventional romantic relationship.
Two wild teenagers with secrets that would shape the rest of their lives, secretly reach for each other as a saving grace until one betrays the other's trust by asking a favor that ends up hurting everyone involved. Twenty years later, long after a tragedy visited the Tierney boys, Janelle returns to St. Mary's to care for her dying Nan and finds that Gabe still lives next door, now acting as a sort of care taker to his sick father and brother Andy. Moody Gabe. Unreachable Gabe. A sexy Gabe who does not want to give Janelle the time of day or even a chance to talk about the present, never mind act on the mutual attraction that still exists between them or discuss their shared, troubled past.
Hart utilizes the narrators, Janelle and Gabe, to deeply explore their characters by exposing personal flaws, intimate vulnerabilities, and raw pain. Through them, the reader also learns what drives key secondary characters. Chapters shift between the present and past, the present narrated by Janelle and the past by Gabe, as Hart keeps the reader intrigued by strongly weaving past and present events until all is revealed.
As in most good literary fiction, however, motivations behind actions by certain characters remain obscure, and it is left up to the reader to dig and/or interpret what lies behind those actions. For example, Gabe's brother Andy is key to the unfolding story, as is Andy's twin brother Michael. Yet, the real motive behind Michael's reactions is not revealed in detail to the reader, particularly when compared to Andy. Motives behind the relationship that took place between Gabe's parents are also implied but not specified.
Overall, the characterization is excellent. Janelle, Gabe, Andy and Nan all possess strength of character, which contrast sharply with flaws, fears, weaknesses and the dreadful situations they encounter. That contrast imbues these characters with a human touch that emotionally connects them with the reader. They lingered with me; Gabe and Janelle, Andy and Janelle's son Bennett, Nan . . . and yes, Mr. Tierney.
There are very few slow moments to be found, they are in a few sections where Janelle cares for Nan, otherwise the story flows at a steady pace. Plot-wise, I love how Hart conveys the dreadful situation taking place in Gabe's home by setting up a tense atmosphere through Gabe's present tense, first point of view narrative. There are dark spaces, moments, and although the darkest of the dark are not graphically described, they are there, strongly implied. This method of imparting information is so effective that I reread some sections to make sure that imagined details were not there! She uses this same method when Gabe narrates his secret, emotionally and sexually charged, encounters with Janelle.
In this novel, Hart explores selfishness and selflessness, parental abuse and neglect, guilt, regret, and love. Her characters survive dysfunctional familial relationships, wrestle with duty vs. love, and trauma vs. survival. In the end, is forgiveness always necessary or possible? When is it necessary? When is it possible?
When I search for contemporary fiction, I hunt for, and hope to find, novels like The Favor. Stories that keep me intrigued with substance, and emotionally invested in the characters. I read, have read, quite a few contemporary fiction books lately, and it is not easy to find the ones that deliver on the premise or do not overreach. With The Favor, Hart strikes that fine balance by delivering on the initial premise with both substance and fine writing, and not overreaching by maintaining a tight focus. Highly recommended.
August 23, 2013
THE FAVOR is a story about secrets and the varying and powerful ways they can effect those who keep them.
Janelle Decker was not an easy teenager so her mother sent her to live with her grandmother, Nan. While living with Nan, Janelle developed relationships with the three boys that lived next door, “those Tierney boys.” The oldest Tierney, Gabe, and Janelle fell in love in high school but their relationship was overcast by family secrets, small-town gossip, and fear. Both Gabe and Janelle said they were going to leave the small town of St. Mary’s and make something of themselves. Then there was a tragic accident that made Janelle run and never look back and made Gabe stay put forever. When Janelle returns some 20 years later to take care of an ailing Nan, emotions are ignited and well-kept secrets are slowly revealed.
There were parts of this story that I enjoyed very much, and parts that felt slow, jumbled, and anti-climactic. The flashbacks, while mostly helpful in developing the characters and the plot, were distracting and confusing at times. While much older and more life-experienced, the characters are somewhat stagnant in their emotional development. When Janelle returns to town she and Gabe communicate no better with each other than they did as teenagers. I thought the flashbacks to teenage Gabe and Janelle were precisely written. The inability to communicate and the awkwardness of displaying emotions for two kids with less than perfect upbringings was honest and well-written. The adult relationship between these two is hampered by the secrets of life in the Tierney home and “the favor” that Gabe asked Janelle for when they were teenagers. There is so much build up to the discovery of the favor that I almost felt disappointed when it was finally revealed.
While my criticisms of this book seem aplenty, I did enjoy much of the book. Janelle and her son develop a stronger relationship as the story progresses and Nan is wonderful. Nan brings together whoever is in the room with her and is much more observant than anyone gives her credit for; she brings out the best in those closest to her. The author also does a great job of portraying a families varied reactions to dealing with the impending loss of a loved one. And the story of the Tierney’s, both the parents and the sons, was emotional and, in parts, unpredictable. This story makes you think about what holds families together and what drives them apart; and how different people have different capacities for forgiveness.
Janelle Decker was not an easy teenager so her mother sent her to live with her grandmother, Nan. While living with Nan, Janelle developed relationships with the three boys that lived next door, “those Tierney boys.” The oldest Tierney, Gabe, and Janelle fell in love in high school but their relationship was overcast by family secrets, small-town gossip, and fear. Both Gabe and Janelle said they were going to leave the small town of St. Mary’s and make something of themselves. Then there was a tragic accident that made Janelle run and never look back and made Gabe stay put forever. When Janelle returns some 20 years later to take care of an ailing Nan, emotions are ignited and well-kept secrets are slowly revealed.
There were parts of this story that I enjoyed very much, and parts that felt slow, jumbled, and anti-climactic. The flashbacks, while mostly helpful in developing the characters and the plot, were distracting and confusing at times. While much older and more life-experienced, the characters are somewhat stagnant in their emotional development. When Janelle returns to town she and Gabe communicate no better with each other than they did as teenagers. I thought the flashbacks to teenage Gabe and Janelle were precisely written. The inability to communicate and the awkwardness of displaying emotions for two kids with less than perfect upbringings was honest and well-written. The adult relationship between these two is hampered by the secrets of life in the Tierney home and “the favor” that Gabe asked Janelle for when they were teenagers. There is so much build up to the discovery of the favor that I almost felt disappointed when it was finally revealed.
While my criticisms of this book seem aplenty, I did enjoy much of the book. Janelle and her son develop a stronger relationship as the story progresses and Nan is wonderful. Nan brings together whoever is in the room with her and is much more observant than anyone gives her credit for; she brings out the best in those closest to her. The author also does a great job of portraying a families varied reactions to dealing with the impending loss of a loved one. And the story of the Tierney’s, both the parents and the sons, was emotional and, in parts, unpredictable. This story makes you think about what holds families together and what drives them apart; and how different people have different capacities for forgiveness.
July 11, 2013
The Favor is an emotional story about reconnecting with your past and the different ways that people sacrifice themselves for those that they love, or perhaps, those that they resent for being required to love. The story starts from Janelle's point of view as she moves back to Pennsylvania to care for her ailing grandmother and provides her with a fresh start, of sorts. Using flashbacks, the story of her childhood, wild teen years, and how it all fit in with the family next door is slowly pieced together. I really liked the use of flashback in this story. It kept the pace moving along and it provided real tension in the story, going back and forth at critical times so that you had to keep reading. It also provided a great way to see how the characters had grown from children, to teens, and to adults. Janelle's life has not been easy, but neither was it all bad. Coming back home clearly reconnects her with a past that has elements she would like to forget, but I found her to be very real and relatable as a character. Her struggles to raise a tween boy and take care of her gram were heartbreaking and I thought that the author did a very good job of getting into the stress of being a caregiver to an elderly relative.
The events of twenty years before that involved Gabe and his brothers are revealed slowly, but it is quickly apparent that theirs was not a happy home. Because of the accident involving his brother, Andy, Gabe has sacrificed his dreams of leaving and stays to take care of his father and brother. His life is dark and Janelle's return sets in motion a series of events that exposes the real pain of what happened all those years ago. Gabe was a flawed character, yes, but he was not unappealing. His anger was on the surface, but his humanity and willingness to be selfless was there, too. The truth about their childhood is painful and dark. There was a lot about forgiveness in this story. It was a very gritty portrayal of forgiving others (or not) and forgiving yourself (or not). There were times when The Favor was hard to read, but I never thought about putting down this compelling and emotional story. Megan Hart, who is known for her excellent erotic romances, has easily stepped into another kind of writing. I am looking forward to reading more of this type of work from her.
The events of twenty years before that involved Gabe and his brothers are revealed slowly, but it is quickly apparent that theirs was not a happy home. Because of the accident involving his brother, Andy, Gabe has sacrificed his dreams of leaving and stays to take care of his father and brother. His life is dark and Janelle's return sets in motion a series of events that exposes the real pain of what happened all those years ago. Gabe was a flawed character, yes, but he was not unappealing. His anger was on the surface, but his humanity and willingness to be selfless was there, too. The truth about their childhood is painful and dark. There was a lot about forgiveness in this story. It was a very gritty portrayal of forgiving others (or not) and forgiving yourself (or not). There were times when The Favor was hard to read, but I never thought about putting down this compelling and emotional story. Megan Hart, who is known for her excellent erotic romances, has easily stepped into another kind of writing. I am looking forward to reading more of this type of work from her.
June 12, 2014
This book was originally reviewed:Traveling With T
Janelle Decker has happy childhood memories of her grandma’s house, and even lived there through high school. Now she’s back with her twelve-year-old son to look after her ailing Nan, and hardly anything seems to have changed, not even the Tierney boys next door.
Gabriel Tierney, local bad-boy. The twins, Michael and Andrew.
After everything that happened between the four of them, Janelle is shocked that Gabe still lives in St. Mary’s. And he isn’t trying very hard to convince Janelle he’s changed from the moody teenage boy she once knew. If anything, he seems bent on making sure she has no intentions of rekindling their past.
To this day, though there might’ve been a lot of speculation about her relationship with Gabe, nobody else knows she was there in the woods that day…the day a devastating accident tore the Tierney brothers apart and drove Janelle away. But there are things that even Janelle doesn’t know, and as she and Gabe revisit their interrupted romance, she begins to uncover the truth denied to her when she ran away all those years ago.
Traveling With T’s Thoughts
Argh! I wanted to love this book. The plot was so great sounding. A mystery, a love affair, secrets, family drama- oh it sounded so good. Yet….. I just couldn’t get into it. I tried. I tried. I TRIED. And i just never could connect. The book dragged and dragged- all the appeal of the plot was missing.
Still, I kept on. Why? Because I wanted to know the secret. And, in the end, the secret was pretty good. But, but, but.. it was by sheer determination that I hung on reading this book.
Do I recommend this book? Sadly, I have to say not. If it’d been a little shorter, or if the pages just hadn’t dragged on- maybe.
*This book was requested through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
Janelle Decker has happy childhood memories of her grandma’s house, and even lived there through high school. Now she’s back with her twelve-year-old son to look after her ailing Nan, and hardly anything seems to have changed, not even the Tierney boys next door.
Gabriel Tierney, local bad-boy. The twins, Michael and Andrew.
After everything that happened between the four of them, Janelle is shocked that Gabe still lives in St. Mary’s. And he isn’t trying very hard to convince Janelle he’s changed from the moody teenage boy she once knew. If anything, he seems bent on making sure she has no intentions of rekindling their past.
To this day, though there might’ve been a lot of speculation about her relationship with Gabe, nobody else knows she was there in the woods that day…the day a devastating accident tore the Tierney brothers apart and drove Janelle away. But there are things that even Janelle doesn’t know, and as she and Gabe revisit their interrupted romance, she begins to uncover the truth denied to her when she ran away all those years ago.
Traveling With T’s Thoughts
Argh! I wanted to love this book. The plot was so great sounding. A mystery, a love affair, secrets, family drama- oh it sounded so good. Yet….. I just couldn’t get into it. I tried. I tried. I TRIED. And i just never could connect. The book dragged and dragged- all the appeal of the plot was missing.
Still, I kept on. Why? Because I wanted to know the secret. And, in the end, the secret was pretty good. But, but, but.. it was by sheer determination that I hung on reading this book.
Do I recommend this book? Sadly, I have to say not. If it’d been a little shorter, or if the pages just hadn’t dragged on- maybe.
*This book was requested through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
September 22, 2013
Actual Rating 2.5
I read this book to help me out of my downward spiral and while my rating might suggest that it was unsuccessful, it actually wasn't
I checked the book out because of the cover. The cover drew me because of it's plainness and made me think that this book would be deep and interesting. The summary of course did nothing to contradict that. It was about a girl going back to a place from where she ran and involved a bunch of secrets.
Who wouldn't find that intriguing? So I read this. The book seemed to dull to me. The parts were it went back into the past really did not interest me and I almost didn't care about what happened.
One of the plus points of the book was Gabe and Janelle's relationship in the present. The author didn't go on and on about how the two were attracted to each other, she didn't talk about 'the heat' between the two, instead she showed us in other ways and that worked out really well.
Everything that has happened all boils down to one thing, The Favor. Interestingly enough, for most of the book this favor is barely mentioned and it wasn't until near the end that you found out what it was. The Favor didn't deserve the build up it got. That is not to say it wasn't ordinary. In fact I was rather disturbed when I found out what it was. A little more into the reasons behind it made me feel less angry but did nothing to redeem the book for me (not that it was going extraordinarly well until that point).
I think I'll stop looking for comfort books and read genres that I actually love instead. Maybe I will find the book that will turn things up for me (and I did so yes this book encouraged me to give up my hopeless search and read things I was supposed to be reading).
I read this book to help me out of my downward spiral and while my rating might suggest that it was unsuccessful, it actually wasn't
I checked the book out because of the cover. The cover drew me because of it's plainness and made me think that this book would be deep and interesting. The summary of course did nothing to contradict that. It was about a girl going back to a place from where she ran and involved a bunch of secrets.
Who wouldn't find that intriguing? So I read this. The book seemed to dull to me. The parts were it went back into the past really did not interest me and I almost didn't care about what happened.
One of the plus points of the book was Gabe and Janelle's relationship in the present. The author didn't go on and on about how the two were attracted to each other, she didn't talk about 'the heat' between the two, instead she showed us in other ways and that worked out really well.
Everything that has happened all boils down to one thing, The Favor. Interestingly enough, for most of the book this favor is barely mentioned and it wasn't until near the end that you found out what it was. The Favor didn't deserve the build up it got. That is not to say it wasn't ordinary. In fact I was rather disturbed when I found out what it was. A little more into the reasons behind it made me feel less angry but did nothing to redeem the book for me (not that it was going extraordinarly well until that point).
I think I'll stop looking for comfort books and read genres that I actually love instead. Maybe I will find the book that will turn things up for me (and I did so yes this book encouraged me to give up my hopeless search and read things I was supposed to be reading).
June 9, 2013
I finished THE FAVOR with a sound like I had been punched in the chest, a woof and a wheeze and a furrowed brow. Megan Hart has always had a gift for writing the most naked, broken, beautiful characters. People with issues, with struggles, with blood rising from wounds that never heal without a scar. THE FAVOR takes on the most disturbing of subjects, child abuse and neglect and the claustrophobic intimacy of families. These characters are beautiful and heartbreaking. As ever, Hart swept me into her world, I gulped this book down in one, white-knuckled dose. I am so glad I met these characters, I'm so glad I read their story, I just wish I could make it all go away. I wish I could have stepped through the pages and rescued those children, long before they became the adults that kept me glued to the page.
November 8, 2013
Favors, Favors, Favors, usually they turn out okay but some come back and bite you in the but!
Janelle has been asked by her uncles if she would be willing to come home and take care of her dying grandmother Nan. Janelle loves and appreciate all that she has done for her and so is willing to uproot her life and go home. Going home is a big deal though, there was a reason she left in the first place, Gabriel her next door neighbor who she loved and who crushed her fragile heart.
This is a story of two families with lots of dysfunction, growing up and finding their way in the world that is best for each one of them. I really liked the characters they were interesting and well developed. I think my favorite was Gabriel's brother Andrew, he had such a realness about him that I appreciated. Oh and yes and the favor.
audio read: Narrator was great.
Janelle has been asked by her uncles if she would be willing to come home and take care of her dying grandmother Nan. Janelle loves and appreciate all that she has done for her and so is willing to uproot her life and go home. Going home is a big deal though, there was a reason she left in the first place, Gabriel her next door neighbor who she loved and who crushed her fragile heart.
This is a story of two families with lots of dysfunction, growing up and finding their way in the world that is best for each one of them. I really liked the characters they were interesting and well developed. I think my favorite was Gabriel's brother Andrew, he had such a realness about him that I appreciated. Oh and yes and the favor.
audio read: Narrator was great.
March 24, 2014
4.5 stars.
REALLY enjoyed this!!
This isn't a romance, though I would say it is a love story.
The writing has a broodingly slow pace, but captivating enough to keep you page turning. It's set in the present and dips in and out of an ambiguous past, unraveling a deep, dark story.
The characters are warm, real and endearing, my lack of that half star was only because I could have gone on reading more about them...
REALLY enjoyed this!!
This isn't a romance, though I would say it is a love story.
The writing has a broodingly slow pace, but captivating enough to keep you page turning. It's set in the present and dips in and out of an ambiguous past, unraveling a deep, dark story.
The characters are warm, real and endearing, my lack of that half star was only because I could have gone on reading more about them...
October 15, 2013
Reading another review that told me the book was fiction was helpful - some of the Megan Hart books I've read have delved a bit more in the erotic side of things and this one does not explore that genre.
This book was a really good story, well written and kept me reading to find out about the favour. The characters were well-developed and the story of Janelle taking care of her grandmother was very realistic and hit close to home. I would recommend this book.
This book was a really good story, well written and kept me reading to find out about the favour. The characters were well-developed and the story of Janelle taking care of her grandmother was very realistic and hit close to home. I would recommend this book.
February 25, 2015
This was yet another masterpiece from Megan Hart. I always love her realistic characters who are so flawed and yet interesting. I liked the present and past in the book because it kept me guessing.
*SPOILER* Though I couldn't quite figure out if Gabe's dad sexually abused them or it was just physical....... This book didn't have as many explicit sex scenes like her other books. I really liked the title and how it was presented in the book. I recommend this book if you like adult fiction.
*SPOILER* Though I couldn't quite figure out if Gabe's dad sexually abused them or it was just physical....... This book didn't have as many explicit sex scenes like her other books. I really liked the title and how it was presented in the book. I recommend this book if you like adult fiction.
January 17, 2016
I was expecting much more from this book after seeing that it had so many 5-star reviews. But all I feel is...nothing. I am certainly not a prude, but there was way too much gratuitous foul language, sex and violence. The story was predictable and lame. The characters were one-dimensional. Very disappointed.
June 25, 2013
I adore Megan Hart's writing style. This book was no exception. The flashbacks are woven beautifully into the present day story. You think you understand where the flashbacks are going, but the details are surprising and perfect. Loved it. Definitely a darker story, but very real.
September 7, 2014
Hmmm...its funny, I kept waiting for this book to get better. I loved the relationship between Jannell and her Nan, very sweet, but beyond that I thought everything else could've been explored better. I didn't care for the way this was written, it was confusing at times.
September 21, 2014
Honestly I like Megan Hart, and this book had potential. It fell a little short. I felt the story moved really slowly, and without much clarity at times, and yet wrapped up rapidly. Some of the parts I had been anticipating were only mentioned in passing, or not at all.
August 5, 2013
This was a good book, deep issues but well written!
tried-or-gave-up-on
January 3, 2023I hate to do this, but I just can't finish this book right now. It's so freaking boring and slow. Definately not the Megan Hart type book that I love :(
July 25, 2013
Really enjoyed the characters in this book. Love Megan Hart's main stream books. She pulls you in from the first page.
August 1, 2013
Love the movement of the book! Just when I imagine I know what's going to happen next the direction changes! So many different emotions! A fantastic read!!
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