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Echoes Of The Heart
Number 1 Bestselling Novel (Amazon.com.au)
She betrayed him and left him to be with another. Now that she’s alone again, nothing is going to stop him from coming for her.
Australian media tycoon Jake Formosa does not believe in forgiving…or forgetting. So when he discovers that Amanda — the woman who once broke his heart — is newly widowed, he immediately enacts his revenge. Jake is intent on making Amanda remember him, and making her suffer for what she did. He will leave her broken and alone, and finally have his closure.
But Amanda is not the sweet girl that Jake remembers, and her life is far from perfect. As the web of lies surrounding her begins to unravel, Jake finds himself once again ensnared. Can he learn to overlook the past and risk his heart again?
(This story is a stand alone read, however Alyssa J. Montgomery's "Roses for Sophie" is the next book in this series.) br>
She betrayed him and left him to be with another. Now that she’s alone again, nothing is going to stop him from coming for her.
Australian media tycoon Jake Formosa does not believe in forgiving…or forgetting. So when he discovers that Amanda — the woman who once broke his heart — is newly widowed, he immediately enacts his revenge. Jake is intent on making Amanda remember him, and making her suffer for what she did. He will leave her broken and alone, and finally have his closure.
But Amanda is not the sweet girl that Jake remembers, and her life is far from perfect. As the web of lies surrounding her begins to unravel, Jake finds himself once again ensnared. Can he learn to overlook the past and risk his heart again?
(This story is a stand alone read, however Alyssa J. Montgomery's "Roses for Sophie" is the next book in this series.) br>
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2014
4 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Alyssa J. Montgomery
21 books87 followersUSA TODAY Bestselling author, Alyssa enjoys writing pacy, passionate contemporary romance novels and her favourites involve some plot twists. She also writes medieval romance under the pen name Alyssa James.
Alyssa still has a busy private practice where she works as a Speech-Language Pathologist - mainly with children with developmental disorders, literacy difficulties and autism. She has also been a professional pianist and worked for Qantas Airways as an International Flight Attendant.
Alyssa lives with her husband and three children in New South Wales, Australia on a five acre property. They have a menagerie of animals and also enjoy occasional visits from deer, wallabies, echidna and the daily morning singing of numerous varieties of native birds.
Spare time is fairly limited with three children, however dinner parties with friends, gardening and playing tennis or saddling up the horses and going for a trail ride, are favourite activities.
Alyssa still has a busy private practice where she works as a Speech-Language Pathologist - mainly with children with developmental disorders, literacy difficulties and autism. She has also been a professional pianist and worked for Qantas Airways as an International Flight Attendant.
Alyssa lives with her husband and three children in New South Wales, Australia on a five acre property. They have a menagerie of animals and also enjoy occasional visits from deer, wallabies, echidna and the daily morning singing of numerous varieties of native birds.
Spare time is fairly limited with three children, however dinner parties with friends, gardening and playing tennis or saddling up the horses and going for a trail ride, are favourite activities.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 25, 2018
3.5 stars.
‘It’s quite simple.’ His eyes hardened aggressively. ‘Lloyd Bennett had something of mine that I want. And I’ve come to claim it back.’
Alyssa J. Montgomery. Echoes of the Heart (Kindle Locations 283-284). Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Limited. Kindle Edition.
And, what Jake Formosa wants to reclaim after a long 2 yr separation, is the heroine Amanda. This was yet another trainwrecky angst filled romance novel that delved into some of my favourite tropes:
Revenge ( by the H ).
Betrayal ( by a manipulative minor character ).
Socio-economic prejudice ( MC's from opposite social and financial backgrounds ).
Second chance romance.
This was a bittersweet story because the MC's had been in love and were both manipulated and betrayed by an evil man who hated the H and used the heroine to hurt him. Jake and Amanda had met, fell in love and had a brief affair 2 yrs ago but it seemed that everyone around them had been conspiring to destroy their relationship. The H's billionaire father hated Amanda because she was from the working class and was born to an alcoholic mother and didn't know the identity of her father. Jake, for his part, had argued vehemently with his dad because he'd wanted to marry her. The argument had led to his father's heart attack and that had been the beginning of the end for their love affair. Each MC believed that he/she had been betrayed by the other. A stupid chain of events worked like clockwork, as if some extra cruel version of Murphy's Law was in operation, to destroy their chance of happiness:
1. Amanda incorrectly assumed that Jake had taken her virginity and used for her sex while he had been engaged to another woman called Sophie. Her assumption was based on nasty gossip from his friends and his father.
2. Then, when his dad got the heart attack, Jake hadn't allowed her to visit at the hospital because of the media storm and because he hadn't wanted her to discover that his father had collapsed when they'd been arguing over her. She thought Jake had grown bored with her.
3. Jake was forced to leave the country to deal with a financial crisis and while he was abroad, all of his phone calls were not returned. Amanda didn't know that her evil boss Lloyd, who hated Jake, had stolen her cell phone and told all the receptionists at work to disallow all calls from the H. Lloyd was disgusting and his villainy is the type that one finds only on a soap opera. Lloyd ensured that the MC's were unable to communicate while Jake was abroad and he blackmailed the heroine into a platonic marriage of convenience.
4. Amanda's aunt Irene had urgent need of specialist nursing care due to her multiple sclerosis problems and Lloyd was aware of this. Lloyd was also a powerful, rich lawyer with criminal underworld connections. He was also gay but wanted to hide it by marrying a woman who would be unable to ever reveal the truth about his sexuality. He found that woman in Amanda. He forced her to sign a prenuptial agreement stating that she would never disclose his sexuality, in exchange for his payment of her aunt's medical fees.
5. Jake thought she'd cheated on him and he was destroyed because he loved her and had planned to propose as soon as he returned from New Zealand. After Amanda married Lloyd, Jake got married to a former girlfriend called Sophie, but that marriage lasted for only 6 months. It had been a platonic 6 months because the H and Sophie discovered that they were better off as friends. Sophie was actually quite a nice woman and she's the heroine in the sequel novel Roses For Sophie.
The storyline starts off in the present time during evil Lloyd's funeral. Lloyd had committed suicide , but not before he done his final dastardly act of sending a nasty letter to all the tabloids telling them that Amanda had been cheating on him ! That was his final act of evil against the heroine. This ruined her socially and made it impossible for her to be hired as a legal secretary. After all, who's gonna hire a woman whose husband had said that her adultery had destroyed him so much that he had no option but to shoot himself ?
This situation gave the H the right opening to get his revenge against Amanda. He agreed to pay her a large amount of money if she would be his mistress for one month. Jake was unaware that the money was for her aunt Irene's experimental drug treatment. The revenge trope wasn't as horrid as in the vintage harlequins, though, because the H discovered the truth early in their agreement and this altered his attitude to the heroine. Jake was a truly besotted, jealous and obsessed H who thought that he would grow bored of her and then be able to move on with his life after the month was over. He'd been unable to move on with other women during the 2 years because Amanda was always on his mind.
These 2 MC's suffered a lot emotionally during the 2 yrs that Amanda had been married to Lloyd. And I was just glad that Lloyd had already killed himself by the time the long list of his villainous acts was revealed. The only complaint I have with this novel is that the conflict was wrapped up a little too quickly in the final quarter. The epilogue highlighted their wedding day and I would've preferred to be given some insight into their distant future. But, this novel definitely delivered the trainwrecky OTT angst and drama that I was craving. The H was very rude and insulting when he met the heroine at Lloyd's funeral but he wasn't as bad as the old school jerks who have Phd's in cruelty and vengeance. Jake, by comparison, was merely studying vengeance courses at the undergraduate level. Lol. It also helped that he grovelled a lot and the author always made it plain, throughout the entire story, that he was very much besotted with Amanda.
Safety: Both characters were celibate during their 2 yr separation and their respective marriages were platonic. The heroine's husband was gay and had used her as a beard to shield his love affair with his butler ! The H had been involved with his wife Sophie when they were both younger but had been platonic friends for years during and up to their ill fated marriage of convenience. They'd gotten married on a stupid whim and because both had been on the rebound from broken relationships.
This is the hero, Jake:
This is the heroine, Amanda:
‘It’s quite simple.’ His eyes hardened aggressively. ‘Lloyd Bennett had something of mine that I want. And I’ve come to claim it back.’
Alyssa J. Montgomery. Echoes of the Heart (Kindle Locations 283-284). Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Limited. Kindle Edition.
And, what Jake Formosa wants to reclaim after a long 2 yr separation, is the heroine Amanda. This was yet another trainwrecky angst filled romance novel that delved into some of my favourite tropes:
Revenge ( by the H ).
Betrayal ( by a manipulative minor character ).
Socio-economic prejudice ( MC's from opposite social and financial backgrounds ).
Second chance romance.
This was a bittersweet story because the MC's had been in love and were both manipulated and betrayed by an evil man who hated the H and used the heroine to hurt him. Jake and Amanda had met, fell in love and had a brief affair 2 yrs ago but it seemed that everyone around them had been conspiring to destroy their relationship. The H's billionaire father hated Amanda because she was from the working class and was born to an alcoholic mother and didn't know the identity of her father. Jake, for his part, had argued vehemently with his dad because he'd wanted to marry her. The argument had led to his father's heart attack and that had been the beginning of the end for their love affair. Each MC believed that he/she had been betrayed by the other. A stupid chain of events worked like clockwork, as if some extra cruel version of Murphy's Law was in operation, to destroy their chance of happiness:
1. Amanda incorrectly assumed that Jake had taken her virginity and used for her sex while he had been engaged to another woman called Sophie. Her assumption was based on nasty gossip from his friends and his father.
2. Then, when his dad got the heart attack, Jake hadn't allowed her to visit at the hospital because of the media storm and because he hadn't wanted her to discover that his father had collapsed when they'd been arguing over her. She thought Jake had grown bored with her.
3. Jake was forced to leave the country to deal with a financial crisis and while he was abroad, all of his phone calls were not returned. Amanda didn't know that her evil boss Lloyd, who hated Jake, had stolen her cell phone and told all the receptionists at work to disallow all calls from the H. Lloyd was disgusting and his villainy is the type that one finds only on a soap opera. Lloyd ensured that the MC's were unable to communicate while Jake was abroad and he blackmailed the heroine into a platonic marriage of convenience.
4. Amanda's aunt Irene had urgent need of specialist nursing care due to her multiple sclerosis problems and Lloyd was aware of this. Lloyd was also a powerful, rich lawyer with criminal underworld connections. He was also gay but wanted to hide it by marrying a woman who would be unable to ever reveal the truth about his sexuality. He found that woman in Amanda. He forced her to sign a prenuptial agreement stating that she would never disclose his sexuality, in exchange for his payment of her aunt's medical fees.
5. Jake thought she'd cheated on him and he was destroyed because he loved her and had planned to propose as soon as he returned from New Zealand. After Amanda married Lloyd, Jake got married to a former girlfriend called Sophie, but that marriage lasted for only 6 months. It had been a platonic 6 months because the H and Sophie discovered that they were better off as friends. Sophie was actually quite a nice woman and she's the heroine in the sequel novel Roses For Sophie.
The storyline starts off in the present time during evil Lloyd's funeral. Lloyd had committed suicide , but not before he done his final dastardly act of sending a nasty letter to all the tabloids telling them that Amanda had been cheating on him ! That was his final act of evil against the heroine. This ruined her socially and made it impossible for her to be hired as a legal secretary. After all, who's gonna hire a woman whose husband had said that her adultery had destroyed him so much that he had no option but to shoot himself ?
This situation gave the H the right opening to get his revenge against Amanda. He agreed to pay her a large amount of money if she would be his mistress for one month. Jake was unaware that the money was for her aunt Irene's experimental drug treatment. The revenge trope wasn't as horrid as in the vintage harlequins, though, because the H discovered the truth early in their agreement and this altered his attitude to the heroine. Jake was a truly besotted, jealous and obsessed H who thought that he would grow bored of her and then be able to move on with his life after the month was over. He'd been unable to move on with other women during the 2 years because Amanda was always on his mind.
These 2 MC's suffered a lot emotionally during the 2 yrs that Amanda had been married to Lloyd. And I was just glad that Lloyd had already killed himself by the time the long list of his villainous acts was revealed. The only complaint I have with this novel is that the conflict was wrapped up a little too quickly in the final quarter. The epilogue highlighted their wedding day and I would've preferred to be given some insight into their distant future. But, this novel definitely delivered the trainwrecky OTT angst and drama that I was craving. The H was very rude and insulting when he met the heroine at Lloyd's funeral but he wasn't as bad as the old school jerks who have Phd's in cruelty and vengeance. Jake, by comparison, was merely studying vengeance courses at the undergraduate level. Lol. It also helped that he grovelled a lot and the author always made it plain, throughout the entire story, that he was very much besotted with Amanda.
Safety: Both characters were celibate during their 2 yr separation and their respective marriages were platonic. The heroine's husband was gay and had used her as a beard to shield his love affair with his butler ! The H had been involved with his wife Sophie when they were both younger but had been platonic friends for years during and up to their ill fated marriage of convenience. They'd gotten married on a stupid whim and because both had been on the rebound from broken relationships.
This is the hero, Jake:
This is the heroine, Amanda:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2014
To read other reviews like this one check out my site www.homelovebooks.com
I was a little worried when I picked up this book, mainly because the book kind of starts off with a funeral, the funeral of Amanda's husband. The whole thing sounded so callous, Amanda's ex showing up at the funeral of her husband, out for revenge? Thankfully, everything was not as it seems. As it turns out, Amanda's marriage, well not really what one would consider a real marriage in any sense of the word. So it wasn't like Jake sounds up to rub salt into Amanda's broken heart over her dead husband, if anything her husband being dead must have been more of a relief than anything else.
I felt bad for Amanda, I really did. It turned out her husband was a bit on the abusive side, and she married him to make sure that someone she loved would be taken care. Basically she gave up her life in order to make sure someone else had a good life, it was definitely an honorable thing to do. I don't think she ever anticipated it turning out the way it did though. More than that, the guy Amanda did love, Jake, well their whole relationship basically blew up due to misunderstandings and some mingling by outside forces.
Jake, well I didn't really bond to him all that much, especially in the beginning of the book, Jake came off as such an ass. I mean he approaches his ex at a funeral, completely inappropriate and then propositions her. Later on, he goes on to basically put a price on her in bed, offering her money that she desperately needed if she agrees to sleep with him for a month. She's clearly in tear, completely fallen apart, beyond unhealthy, and he just can't help but to bring her down to feeling like nothing. It was kinda hard to read. Thankfully things kind of turn around as the book progresses.
I think the biggest issue I had with the book though was that Amanda and Jake could have solved all of their problems if they had just had a simple conversation with one another. Amanda believed that Jake was seeing someone else when he was with her, and so she thinks he was using her. Jake believes she married her husband because she was a gold-digger who was only interested in money. I almost wish they had had some other kind of issue that needed to be worked out, and not just a case of really big miscommunication.
That being said, it was an easy read, plenty of romance in it, and the two of them definitely turn their lives as the story continues. I think if you like romance stories with exes or ones that have a revenge element to them, then this book might be just what you are looking for.
I was a little worried when I picked up this book, mainly because the book kind of starts off with a funeral, the funeral of Amanda's husband. The whole thing sounded so callous, Amanda's ex showing up at the funeral of her husband, out for revenge? Thankfully, everything was not as it seems. As it turns out, Amanda's marriage, well not really what one would consider a real marriage in any sense of the word. So it wasn't like Jake sounds up to rub salt into Amanda's broken heart over her dead husband, if anything her husband being dead must have been more of a relief than anything else.
I felt bad for Amanda, I really did. It turned out her husband was a bit on the abusive side, and she married him to make sure that someone she loved would be taken care. Basically she gave up her life in order to make sure someone else had a good life, it was definitely an honorable thing to do. I don't think she ever anticipated it turning out the way it did though. More than that, the guy Amanda did love, Jake, well their whole relationship basically blew up due to misunderstandings and some mingling by outside forces.
Jake, well I didn't really bond to him all that much, especially in the beginning of the book, Jake came off as such an ass. I mean he approaches his ex at a funeral, completely inappropriate and then propositions her. Later on, he goes on to basically put a price on her in bed, offering her money that she desperately needed if she agrees to sleep with him for a month. She's clearly in tear, completely fallen apart, beyond unhealthy, and he just can't help but to bring her down to feeling like nothing. It was kinda hard to read. Thankfully things kind of turn around as the book progresses.
I think the biggest issue I had with the book though was that Amanda and Jake could have solved all of their problems if they had just had a simple conversation with one another. Amanda believed that Jake was seeing someone else when he was with her, and so she thinks he was using her. Jake believes she married her husband because she was a gold-digger who was only interested in money. I almost wish they had had some other kind of issue that needed to be worked out, and not just a case of really big miscommunication.
That being said, it was an easy read, plenty of romance in it, and the two of them definitely turn their lives as the story continues. I think if you like romance stories with exes or ones that have a revenge element to them, then this book might be just what you are looking for.
October 5, 2014
3.5 Stars.
This was indeed a good book!!
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this story when it started off at the funeral, but as the story progressed I just couldn't stop myself from loving it! At times I felt the story was slightly rushed. And when Amanda decides to tell Jake what really happened with her ex-husband I felt like there were some random pieces of information given. It just dragged on and on. And then there was the lawyer that everyone thought Amanda was having an affair with, he’s there in the first chapter and then he just disappears. Overall, this was a very well written book!
This was indeed a good book!!
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this story when it started off at the funeral, but as the story progressed I just couldn't stop myself from loving it! At times I felt the story was slightly rushed. And when Amanda decides to tell Jake what really happened with her ex-husband I felt like there were some random pieces of information given. It just dragged on and on. And then there was the lawyer that everyone thought Amanda was having an affair with, he’s there in the first chapter and then he just disappears. Overall, this was a very well written book!
January 30, 2016
What can I say...
I received an Arc for an honest review
Review of echoes of the heart by Alyssa Montgomery
Let me tell you something very simple about this book…I loved it, every page that I read until the end. It was a fantastic read with the right amount of everything I love in a book,
I loved Alyssa’s first book but this one, she just took me to a higher heaven and brought me back to earth when it was all over. There were so many emotions and simply put it was one of the best reads for me in 2014 so far.
The story is all about Jake and Amanda. Their love story is coupled with pain, betrayals, lust, love and passion. Without giving out any spoilers, when Amanda found out that Jake lied to her, she left him and married this wealthy fellow. Everyone in the area thought she was a gold digger and not more than Jake who Clearly hated her even though he could not help but want her still. Now the perfect opportunity for Jake to have her comes along when her husband dies and he comes in to take what he thinks is rightfully his.
Jake is the epitome of alpha, arrogance and all male. He is dominating and for some reason I loved it. Well we all love a man who can take control of any situation.
“I don’t like you Amanda. I certainly don’t like my desire for you, but I’m honest enough to admit that I need to make love to you over and over again until my passion burns itself out. We’ll both be better off once we extinguish our need for each other.”
Amanda on the other hand is a good heroine I liked her enough though my point of view she should have let Jake work more hard for her. She should not have given in so quickly. However she was good for Jake in all the right ways.
“You’ll be back in my bed and you’ll stay there until I’m ready for you to leave”
I liked the story and all the emotions I read in it. The story had a lot of edgy moments that just did it for me. I mean talk about hot sex, hot making out scenes and definitely hot everything else. I am truly a number one fan of Montgomery.
“What exactly do you want?”
“I want you, Amanda”
I loved the writing style and the author’s voice. All I can say is that I know I will always be waiting for another of Montgomery’s books but my only complaint is that the story should have been longer, very long. Yes this was a quick read and I loved it, now imagine if it had been longer… I think I might have experienced moments where I wanted to be the characters in the book.
All in all, excellent book and I recommend it to everyone out there who loves a good quick contemporary romance that will keep you on the edges of whatever place you are reading from, whether your bed, chair or sofa.
4stars... for more reviews visit
DedicatedReaders
February 24, 2015
I loved this story it has everything that a romance reader wants in a story a very sensual romance between Amanda and Jake it will have you grabbing the tissues and smiling. Amanda comes from the poorer suburbs and Jake is very wealthy and runs a big media company but when they meet and fall in love life is not very good to them and they end up with other partners and Amanda in a very cruel relationship but when Amanda is left single Jake is determined to purge her from his system but their love is so strong and when truths and secrets are revealed this brings them to a wonderful HEA I do highly recommend this one.
September 21, 2014
I really enjoyed this book is was amazin the story started really good no messin about straight into I luv books like that i luvd the characters loads they were so good I luvd Amanda an how she put her aunties needs b4 hers she is so carin I just wanted 2 hug her an then there is the sexy an very handsome jake things start of great with Amanda an jake an then things got mixed up an then more mixed up an it turn horrible cause jake an his pride *MEN* its sound completed but its not the story flows so well there not a part of the book I didn't like totally luvd it xxx
April 8, 2015
Loved it!!!!:)
April 26, 2019
Jake is very much in love with Amanda and Amanda is very much in love with Jake. Because of jumping to conclusions and a very Ill Aunt Irene Amanda does the hardest thing in the world to care for Irene. She marries her boss, Lloyd. It breaks Jake up to the point
he blackmails Amanda once Lloyd commits suicide. To help Irene Amanda agrees to Jakes blackmail and then all of the passion and real truth emerge for both of them.
he blackmails Amanda once Lloyd commits suicide. To help Irene Amanda agrees to Jakes blackmail and then all of the passion and real truth emerge for both of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2017
A cute quick read
April 19, 2014
The cover of this book didn't appeal to me because I wouldn't have picked it as a romance. Had I not already read Mistaken Identity by this same author and loved it, I wouldn't have chosen this title to read. I'm glad I did.
As with the first book by this author, Echoes of the Heart grabbed my interest from the first page in an unlikely setting for a romance novel because the story began at the funeral of Amanda's (heroine) husband. Enter the hero (Jake) who stood by Amanda in a public show of support when she needed it, and the thrumming passion between them (they were former lovers). Away from the public eye his words to her were fairly condemning because he thinks she was a gold-digger who had more interest in his bank account than she did in him, and he knows she left him to marry a much older man who was very wealthy. His dialogue revealed how bitter he was in regard to the heroine having left him. He was determined to get her back at all costs and to get over her so he could move on with his life and find some happiness.
Of course, it didn't turn out that way. He discovered that they'd both been torn apart by some interfering by others, that Amanda had suffered really badly since she'd left him and that she'd never stopped being the woman he'd fallen in love with. He was suitably remorseful that he'd misjudged her and risked his public reputation and his corporate role in order to make her his.
Amanda has never stopped loving Jake even though she was greatly upset because she believed he was two-timing her. Her own lack of confidence didn't help that. She does work through this with his help.
All up I found it a very enjoyable book and have no hesitation in recommending it to other readers who enjoy a former lovers reunited theme with underlying misunderstandings, and a lot of secrets that the author uncovers along the way to keep the interest up.
As with the first book by this author, Echoes of the Heart grabbed my interest from the first page in an unlikely setting for a romance novel because the story began at the funeral of Amanda's (heroine) husband. Enter the hero (Jake) who stood by Amanda in a public show of support when she needed it, and the thrumming passion between them (they were former lovers). Away from the public eye his words to her were fairly condemning because he thinks she was a gold-digger who had more interest in his bank account than she did in him, and he knows she left him to marry a much older man who was very wealthy. His dialogue revealed how bitter he was in regard to the heroine having left him. He was determined to get her back at all costs and to get over her so he could move on with his life and find some happiness.
Of course, it didn't turn out that way. He discovered that they'd both been torn apart by some interfering by others, that Amanda had suffered really badly since she'd left him and that she'd never stopped being the woman he'd fallen in love with. He was suitably remorseful that he'd misjudged her and risked his public reputation and his corporate role in order to make her his.
Amanda has never stopped loving Jake even though she was greatly upset because she believed he was two-timing her. Her own lack of confidence didn't help that. She does work through this with his help.
All up I found it a very enjoyable book and have no hesitation in recommending it to other readers who enjoy a former lovers reunited theme with underlying misunderstandings, and a lot of secrets that the author uncovers along the way to keep the interest up.
February 19, 2017
Enjoyable series. Ready to move on to the third book!
March 28, 2015
I had this on my to read list for awhile and then found it for 99c on Amazon and it was a done deal. I'm really glad I read it. It was an unusual start. Can't say I've read any other romance novels that start out at a funeral with the heroine burying her husband and the hero stepping in to save her from being physically attacked by the deceased husband's sister. LOL.
I thought it was well written in that there were so many questions raised in my mind as a reader that I wanted to keep reading to try to get those answers. The twist, when it came...I didn't see it coming. It seemed incredible yet credible at the same time.
As for the hero and heroine... It was largely misunderstanding that kept them apart, and normally I'd want more, but there was so much else going on and so much emotional impact that it wasn't until I sat down to write this review that this point really struck me.
It was a very satisfying read. At some points I hated Jake, other points I empathised with him, but I found myself loving him too.
Amanda - she was so nice. Maybe too nice. Could she have found another solution to her dilemma rather than marrying Lloyd? Possibly.
There were some great lines and dialogue in this story, and I found myself wondering about Sophie. Montgomery planted the seeds for her next book "Roses for Sophie", and even though that wasn't on a 99c sale, I was hooked enough to go straight from Echoes of the Heart to Roses for Sophie.
I've given Roses for Sophie five stars as well, although I loved that so much I would've ranked that a 6 out of 5 if I could have.
Read them both and see what you think. They are very different styles of book and character.
I thought it was well written in that there were so many questions raised in my mind as a reader that I wanted to keep reading to try to get those answers. The twist, when it came...I didn't see it coming. It seemed incredible yet credible at the same time.
As for the hero and heroine... It was largely misunderstanding that kept them apart, and normally I'd want more, but there was so much else going on and so much emotional impact that it wasn't until I sat down to write this review that this point really struck me.
It was a very satisfying read. At some points I hated Jake, other points I empathised with him, but I found myself loving him too.
Amanda - she was so nice. Maybe too nice. Could she have found another solution to her dilemma rather than marrying Lloyd? Possibly.
There were some great lines and dialogue in this story, and I found myself wondering about Sophie. Montgomery planted the seeds for her next book "Roses for Sophie", and even though that wasn't on a 99c sale, I was hooked enough to go straight from Echoes of the Heart to Roses for Sophie.
I've given Roses for Sophie five stars as well, although I loved that so much I would've ranked that a 6 out of 5 if I could have.
Read them both and see what you think. They are very different styles of book and character.
May 12, 2014
This review will also be found on my blog Jasmin l-ves to Read.
Echoes of the Heart by Alyssa J Montgomery
★★★☆☆
The blurb:
First and foremost, let me tell you I am Filipino. And you might be saying, “so what?”. If you were Filipino, you would know that we love our drama. Almost every tv show at night is heavy on drama, the bawl your eyes type. And I can tell you this story has been done. Plenty of times.
Though Echoes of the Heart may not be highly original and predictable, Alyssa Montgomery’s writing can deliver. Though storyline is rushed, I have liked the characters she had created.
Echoes of the Heart by Alyssa J Montgomery
★★★☆☆
The blurb:
She betrayed him and left him to be with another. Now that she’s alone again, nothing is going to stop him from coming for her.
Australian media tycoon Jake Formosa does not believe in forgiving…or forgetting. So when he discovers that Amanda — the woman who once broke his heart — is newly widowed, he immediately enacts his revenge. Jake is intent on making Amanda remember him, and making her suffer for what she did. He will leave her broken and alone, and finally have his closure.
But Amanda is not the sweet girl that Jake remembers, and her life is far from perfect. As the web of lies surrounding her begins to unravel, Jake finds himself once again ensnared. Can he learn to overlook the past and risk his heart again?
First and foremost, let me tell you I am Filipino. And you might be saying, “so what?”. If you were Filipino, you would know that we love our drama. Almost every tv show at night is heavy on drama, the bawl your eyes type. And I can tell you this story has been done. Plenty of times.
Though Echoes of the Heart may not be highly original and predictable, Alyssa Montgomery’s writing can deliver. Though storyline is rushed, I have liked the characters she had created.
April 14, 2014
This story revolves around a heroine, Amanda, who is really selfless. She sacrifices a lot to help someone who is close to her - even sacrificing her own Chance at love.
The hero, Jake, is very alpha - a take charge guy who lost the heroine and wants her back - even though he doesn't like his desire for her.
It is a story where misunderstanding and manipulative outside influences have torn the lovers apart.
Each of them is deeply hurt. That has made Jake very bitter. Never over Amanda, Jake simply can't get on completely with his life and he wants closure. Yet as much as he tries to despise Amanda for what he believes she has done and who he believes she is, he finds himself supportive of her in her crisis. Supportive of her and more vulnerable to her as his heart is bared again.
Amanda can't comprehend why Jake is so bitter - why he says some hurtful things to her. Stuck between a rock and a hard place she goes along with the deal he proposes. It tears at her because she still desperately loves him.
As well as all the conflict and emotion between the lovers, their story is woven into a complex plot of lies and betrayals.
I think the author does a great job in pacing and certainly kept me hooked to discover the reality of events.
Things were definitely not as they seemed...
Great to find a writer who can keep the passion and emotion firmly on the pages but who can still weave such an interesting story.
Five stars.
The hero, Jake, is very alpha - a take charge guy who lost the heroine and wants her back - even though he doesn't like his desire for her.
It is a story where misunderstanding and manipulative outside influences have torn the lovers apart.
Each of them is deeply hurt. That has made Jake very bitter. Never over Amanda, Jake simply can't get on completely with his life and he wants closure. Yet as much as he tries to despise Amanda for what he believes she has done and who he believes she is, he finds himself supportive of her in her crisis. Supportive of her and more vulnerable to her as his heart is bared again.
Amanda can't comprehend why Jake is so bitter - why he says some hurtful things to her. Stuck between a rock and a hard place she goes along with the deal he proposes. It tears at her because she still desperately loves him.
As well as all the conflict and emotion between the lovers, their story is woven into a complex plot of lies and betrayals.
I think the author does a great job in pacing and certainly kept me hooked to discover the reality of events.
Things were definitely not as they seemed...
Great to find a writer who can keep the passion and emotion firmly on the pages but who can still weave such an interesting story.
Five stars.
April 6, 2014
Loved it. Loved the pain felt by both Jake and Amanda. Riveted by the twists and turns in the plot. Didn't see some of them coming.
Great sexual tension between the two characters and enjoyed the 'hot' scenes between them.
I really loved the first book by this author and I haven't been disappointed by this read either.
I still think this is a 'presents' style voice and storyline although it probably has a bit more in the plot than most of the 'presents' books.
I totally empathised with Amanda. She'd really had a hell of a lot to deal with and she was pretty strong to withstand all the author put her through (!) Jake had also suffered a lot of pain. He was a bit of an ass at times, but he knew it straight away and realised it was like a defensive mechanism kicking in.
Now, a character I was interested in as well was Sophie. I just read on the blog that Sophie's story is to come. Yay! Count me in.
Great sexual tension between the two characters and enjoyed the 'hot' scenes between them.
I really loved the first book by this author and I haven't been disappointed by this read either.
I still think this is a 'presents' style voice and storyline although it probably has a bit more in the plot than most of the 'presents' books.
I totally empathised with Amanda. She'd really had a hell of a lot to deal with and she was pretty strong to withstand all the author put her through (!) Jake had also suffered a lot of pain. He was a bit of an ass at times, but he knew it straight away and realised it was like a defensive mechanism kicking in.
Now, a character I was interested in as well was Sophie. I just read on the blog that Sophie's story is to come. Yay! Count me in.
April 17, 2014
Awesome book. I loved the tension between the characters and the dialogue. I thought it was well paced and it had me turning pages as not only did I want the conflicts to be resolved but I also wanted to find out all the answers to the secrets that the author had sewn in. Satisfying HEA ending. Highly recommend, but be warned Jake has been damaged so he is out for revenge and closure and some of his dialogue is cutting. He redeems himself very well and I do think he is still heroic. He sticks by Amanda when it counts and they both help heal each other, so read on.
July 20, 2015
Book #2 by this author who I've chosen to do an assignment on at Uni due to the fact that she is fairly new on the scene and has already had this book as a #1 Best seller.
Interesting to see the development of a new writer. I thought the writing and emotion flowed better in this book. I loved the revelations that were made throughout the book.
Montgomery has woven a very intricate web of plot line with a lot of deceit, outright lies and secrets. This one is deserving of 5 stars especially as there is loads of angst for the characters.
Interesting to see the development of a new writer. I thought the writing and emotion flowed better in this book. I loved the revelations that were made throughout the book.
Montgomery has woven a very intricate web of plot line with a lot of deceit, outright lies and secrets. This one is deserving of 5 stars especially as there is loads of angst for the characters.
June 6, 2016
Very silly but never gets quite melodramatic enough to become fun again. I like the angst of a heroine with no choices and the Hero abusing his power only to realize what a shit he was, and we got that perfectly for a few scenes, but I wanted some more groveling on his part, regret at what he was willing to do (and not just because but because he realizes he was acting shitty and no one deserves that treatment).
I liked Sophie in this book better than in her own, actually.
I liked Sophie in this book better than in her own, actually.
April 5, 2014
Short and rushed story. I'm a bit disappointed because I kinda liked the plot with Amanda's husband.
Didn't have time to feel any empathy for Amanda and I just wanted to slap Jake across the face because of his judgmental and narrow minded behavior.
And I'm kind of fed up to read about billionaires who are billionaires just because THEY ARE. They don't work, they go on vacation. Seems easy to rule an empire !
Didn't have time to feel any empathy for Amanda and I just wanted to slap Jake across the face because of his judgmental and narrow minded behavior.
And I'm kind of fed up to read about billionaires who are billionaires just because THEY ARE. They don't work, they go on vacation. Seems easy to rule an empire !
May 4, 2015
Echoes of the Heart was all kinds of tentalizing! Montogmery delivers sexy up close! Jake is just the right combination of strong male and expert lover. Echoes of the Heart will ensnare readers. Jake and Amanda's love story is full of twist and turns that will leave readers breathless! A must read! I can't wait for "Roses for Sophie" the next book in this series. I look forward to reading more from Alyssa J. Montgomery!
April 7, 2014
Okay book. Kind of short and predictable. No real character development. Switched POVs at random times.
April 8, 2014
Page Turner. Pulled at my heart strings. Enjoyed the author's fluid writing style.
April 6, 2014
Review coming up
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