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Renewal
All Grace has ever done is run away. After high school, she ran to Ole Miss, a college far away from her home in Sunset, Louisiana. After college, she ran to a job in Wyoming that spared her from a life in Jackson she didn't want. Now, at twenty-nine, her husband has passed away and all she knows how to do is run, so she's run back home.
Now she must work through her loss while building a new life. First, she must repair her relationship with the younger sister she left behind. Then, she has to find a new job, which lands her dealing with an arrogant, sexist boss and a very competitive co-worker. They're the least of her problems, though. Her old college boyfriend, the one who broke her heart, is the Assistant Director. On top of that, her childhood friend, Morris, keeps showing up asking for a date and flaunting his country boy good-looks.
Going home seemed to be the right answer, but now she's tired of running. It's time for her to learn to let go, give in, and to heal. She has to learn that it's OK to remember, it's OK to hurt, and it's OK to love again. Can she convince herself to move forward? Or will the pain of her husband's death leave her unable to reach out to others?
Now she must work through her loss while building a new life. First, she must repair her relationship with the younger sister she left behind. Then, she has to find a new job, which lands her dealing with an arrogant, sexist boss and a very competitive co-worker. They're the least of her problems, though. Her old college boyfriend, the one who broke her heart, is the Assistant Director. On top of that, her childhood friend, Morris, keeps showing up asking for a date and flaunting his country boy good-looks.
Going home seemed to be the right answer, but now she's tired of running. It's time for her to learn to let go, give in, and to heal. She has to learn that it's OK to remember, it's OK to hurt, and it's OK to love again. Can she convince herself to move forward? Or will the pain of her husband's death leave her unable to reach out to others?
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First published August 2, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 20, 2013
Having only read one other short story by this author, and it being a horror at that, I’m enormously thrilled at finding that Tabitha Short can write an amazing and absolutely spellbinding tale of love, family, healing, and starting anew, as brilliantly as what she writes horror.
Though Renewal is a contemporary romance – and I honestly am not a fan of huge productions of romance in books – I loved this novel to no end because the romance was not the main focus of the story but rather an addition to Grace’s character development. I’ve read books where the main character grieves for the loss of a loved one or a spouse and the grieving was so overwhelming it left me emotionally worn-out, so I was a little reluctant to read yet another book where the protagonist has to deal with the death of her husband and then start her life all over again. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this book, though Grace had regular tearful breakdowns and had to deal with the pain of constant reminders of the life she had with her husband before he passed away, I actually shared in her heartache without feeling overwhelmed by her emotional outbursts. Short wrote these heart-wrenching scenes really well and instead of alienating the reader from Grace’s heartache, she makes you feel like crying with Grace and wanting to console her.
What really captivated me was the intricate family dynamics in this story. Grace running away from her past impacts the lives of numerous characters. The bonds between her and her sister, Jess, the set-up and daily routine at her parents’ house and Grace’s interactions with her niece, Kylee, as well as the comparisons she drew between Brock’s treatment of her and her treatment of Morris, were absolutely compelling. The reader is made to feel comfortable and right at home in these characters’ lives, and once Grace starts at her new job, the reader is also made privy to the things Grace experiences with new colleagues and a chauvinistic boss. Grace is a highly intelligent character, comfortable with who she is, unpretentious, level-headed, and knows how to connect with others on many different levels. She stands her ground, and that’s what intrigued me about her most. It was easy to relate to her, making her exactly the type of female lead I’d like to see more of in women’s fiction.
The underlying message of accepting that sometimes things happen for a reason, is subtly and beautifully narrated throughout the story, and there were quite a few instances where I had to wipe away tears, especially where it involved the neglect of three-year-old Kylee by her juvenile father. All in all this is just one of those books where you’ll miss the characters and think about them for days after finishing the book. With rich characterization and a complex plot, Renewal is everything a contemporary romance should be and so much more! Passionate, evocative, moving, and wholly engaging; a story which refuses to be easily forgotten.
Though Renewal is a contemporary romance – and I honestly am not a fan of huge productions of romance in books – I loved this novel to no end because the romance was not the main focus of the story but rather an addition to Grace’s character development. I’ve read books where the main character grieves for the loss of a loved one or a spouse and the grieving was so overwhelming it left me emotionally worn-out, so I was a little reluctant to read yet another book where the protagonist has to deal with the death of her husband and then start her life all over again. I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this book, though Grace had regular tearful breakdowns and had to deal with the pain of constant reminders of the life she had with her husband before he passed away, I actually shared in her heartache without feeling overwhelmed by her emotional outbursts. Short wrote these heart-wrenching scenes really well and instead of alienating the reader from Grace’s heartache, she makes you feel like crying with Grace and wanting to console her.
What really captivated me was the intricate family dynamics in this story. Grace running away from her past impacts the lives of numerous characters. The bonds between her and her sister, Jess, the set-up and daily routine at her parents’ house and Grace’s interactions with her niece, Kylee, as well as the comparisons she drew between Brock’s treatment of her and her treatment of Morris, were absolutely compelling. The reader is made to feel comfortable and right at home in these characters’ lives, and once Grace starts at her new job, the reader is also made privy to the things Grace experiences with new colleagues and a chauvinistic boss. Grace is a highly intelligent character, comfortable with who she is, unpretentious, level-headed, and knows how to connect with others on many different levels. She stands her ground, and that’s what intrigued me about her most. It was easy to relate to her, making her exactly the type of female lead I’d like to see more of in women’s fiction.
The underlying message of accepting that sometimes things happen for a reason, is subtly and beautifully narrated throughout the story, and there were quite a few instances where I had to wipe away tears, especially where it involved the neglect of three-year-old Kylee by her juvenile father. All in all this is just one of those books where you’ll miss the characters and think about them for days after finishing the book. With rich characterization and a complex plot, Renewal is everything a contemporary romance should be and so much more! Passionate, evocative, moving, and wholly engaging; a story which refuses to be easily forgotten.
June 17, 2014
*** Book Synopsis ***
All Grace has ever done is run away. After high school, she ran to Ole Miss, a college far away from her home in Sunset, Louisiana. After college, she ran to a job in Wyoming that spared her from a life in Jackson she didn’t want. Now, at twenty-nine, her husband has passed away and all she knows how to do is run, so she’s run back home.
Now she must work through her loss while building a new life. First, she must repair her relationship with the younger sister she left behind. Then, she has to find a new job, which lands her dealing with an arrogant, sexist boss and a very competitive co-worker. They’re the least of her problems, though. Her old college boyfriend, the one who broke her heart, is the Assistant Director. On top of that, her childhood friend, Morris, keeps showing up asking for a date and flaunting his country boy good-looks.
Going home seemed to be the right answer, but now she’s tired of running. It’s time for her to learn to let go, give in, and to heal. She has to learn that it’s OK to remember, it’s OK to hurt, and it’s OK to love again. Can she convince herself to move forward? Or will the pain of her husband’s death leave her unable to reach out to others?
*** Gladys #XOXOtheNerdGirl #NerdGirlOfficial ***
-This book was provided by the publisher/author to Nerd Girl Official for an honest Review (Review was originally published on blog on September 4, 2013)
Sigh… Sobbing… Relief… Sighing some more… And sobbing again… This is one of those novels that you have to make sure you have enough coffee made, tissues handy, comfy chair and blankie ready. Yes I said BLANKIE!!! Because everything that happens to Grace turns you into mush. A big old blob of mush.
I am a lover of paranormal, urban fantasy fights and bloody assaults BUT this contemporary romance brought me HOME. Reminded me of life. The trials of them. My personal demons and how I need to tackle them head on or fail.
Tabitha short hit the nail on the head and knew just how to hit every single heart string I have and every fiber of my being. I tip my baseball cap to you TABITHA. I think I ran out of tears!
Note: Review has been written in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our facebook fan site.
All Grace has ever done is run away. After high school, she ran to Ole Miss, a college far away from her home in Sunset, Louisiana. After college, she ran to a job in Wyoming that spared her from a life in Jackson she didn’t want. Now, at twenty-nine, her husband has passed away and all she knows how to do is run, so she’s run back home.
Now she must work through her loss while building a new life. First, she must repair her relationship with the younger sister she left behind. Then, she has to find a new job, which lands her dealing with an arrogant, sexist boss and a very competitive co-worker. They’re the least of her problems, though. Her old college boyfriend, the one who broke her heart, is the Assistant Director. On top of that, her childhood friend, Morris, keeps showing up asking for a date and flaunting his country boy good-looks.
Going home seemed to be the right answer, but now she’s tired of running. It’s time for her to learn to let go, give in, and to heal. She has to learn that it’s OK to remember, it’s OK to hurt, and it’s OK to love again. Can she convince herself to move forward? Or will the pain of her husband’s death leave her unable to reach out to others?
*** Gladys #XOXOtheNerdGirl #NerdGirlOfficial ***
-This book was provided by the publisher/author to Nerd Girl Official for an honest Review (Review was originally published on blog on September 4, 2013)
Sigh… Sobbing… Relief… Sighing some more… And sobbing again… This is one of those novels that you have to make sure you have enough coffee made, tissues handy, comfy chair and blankie ready. Yes I said BLANKIE!!! Because everything that happens to Grace turns you into mush. A big old blob of mush.
I am a lover of paranormal, urban fantasy fights and bloody assaults BUT this contemporary romance brought me HOME. Reminded me of life. The trials of them. My personal demons and how I need to tackle them head on or fail.
Tabitha short hit the nail on the head and knew just how to hit every single heart string I have and every fiber of my being. I tip my baseball cap to you TABITHA. I think I ran out of tears!
Note: Review has been written in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our facebook fan site.
September 12, 2014
Just finished reading this awesome, superb book! This was the first book I have read by Tabitha Short and she has great talent. I was caught up in the story right at the start.
Grace had lost her husband, and if anyone knows how that feels to loose not only a husband, lover, best friend and soul mate you will relate to Grace. Broken hearted,
she returns home to her parents and her sister. There is so much I could tell you about this story as she opens door s one by one, not only getting through Grace's pain, but other friends of Grace.
Her work environment threw up an unexpected obstacle too which I thought was handled excellently. I could go on and on raving enthusiastically about this book, but I don't want to give anything away too much. I have to mention that you become Kate, you feel what she feels, when she runs into the woods, I found myself screaming ` no Grace, no` !! I wanted to hug her and make her feel whole again. All the characters became real to me and will stay with me for a very long time.
Morris was a swell guy. He loved her before, can he help her through her pain? Towards the end, we learn of his pain too.
It was very moving, and when a book can grip you, take you in and swallow you up, and engulf you the way this writer does with this story, its what I call A GOOD 'UN.
You won't be disappointed reading this book.
I was gifted an ARC by the author, no pressure to rate it highly, only honestly. Well, I can do both. I rate this HIGHLY and HONESTLY I feel so blessed to have been able to read this ahead of time.
I read a LOT of books, this has gone right into my top 10 this year. Praise to the author. I can't wait to read more from her.
Grace had lost her husband, and if anyone knows how that feels to loose not only a husband, lover, best friend and soul mate you will relate to Grace. Broken hearted,
she returns home to her parents and her sister. There is so much I could tell you about this story as she opens door s one by one, not only getting through Grace's pain, but other friends of Grace.
Her work environment threw up an unexpected obstacle too which I thought was handled excellently. I could go on and on raving enthusiastically about this book, but I don't want to give anything away too much. I have to mention that you become Kate, you feel what she feels, when she runs into the woods, I found myself screaming ` no Grace, no` !! I wanted to hug her and make her feel whole again. All the characters became real to me and will stay with me for a very long time.
Morris was a swell guy. He loved her before, can he help her through her pain? Towards the end, we learn of his pain too.
It was very moving, and when a book can grip you, take you in and swallow you up, and engulf you the way this writer does with this story, its what I call A GOOD 'UN.
You won't be disappointed reading this book.
I was gifted an ARC by the author, no pressure to rate it highly, only honestly. Well, I can do both. I rate this HIGHLY and HONESTLY I feel so blessed to have been able to read this ahead of time.
I read a LOT of books, this has gone right into my top 10 this year. Praise to the author. I can't wait to read more from her.
December 2, 2014
I really enjoyed the way this story developed and I loved the fact that it hooked me right from the start. I just had to know what was going to happen next and I read it in a day!
It starts with a young 29 year old Kate losing her husband, the love of her life. We follow Kate as she learns to live and love again. She comes back to her hometown and reconnects with people from her past. This includes an ex-boyfriend as well as an old friend with long time feelings for her.
I felt really emotional while reading this book. The author Tabitha Short has a way of writing that tugs at your heartstrings. I could really feel what the characters were feeling.
Throughout the whole book I just wanted Kate to be happy! The supporting characters are all well developed and lead their own interesting lives.
I am rating this book 4 stars because it was a true to life portrayal of loss and love and the emotions that go with those events.
I recommend reading this book if you are looking for a very interesting story about life and our reactions to the people around us mixed with a bit a of romance.
I received this book as an ARC from the author.
It starts with a young 29 year old Kate losing her husband, the love of her life. We follow Kate as she learns to live and love again. She comes back to her hometown and reconnects with people from her past. This includes an ex-boyfriend as well as an old friend with long time feelings for her.
I felt really emotional while reading this book. The author Tabitha Short has a way of writing that tugs at your heartstrings. I could really feel what the characters were feeling.
Throughout the whole book I just wanted Kate to be happy! The supporting characters are all well developed and lead their own interesting lives.
I am rating this book 4 stars because it was a true to life portrayal of loss and love and the emotions that go with those events.
I recommend reading this book if you are looking for a very interesting story about life and our reactions to the people around us mixed with a bit a of romance.
I received this book as an ARC from the author.
September 2, 2013
Really enjoyed this story. Sat on a lovely sunny afternoon & the hours flew by while this book absorbed me. From the start it had me gripped.
This story could easily have been a true story. Nothing far fetched about it.
It's basically about a girl who goes back to her family after her husband dies... BUT it's far more than that.
I would definetly recommend this to my friends.
Received from author in return for an honest review.
This story could easily have been a true story. Nothing far fetched about it.
It's basically about a girl who goes back to her family after her husband dies... BUT it's far more than that.
I would definetly recommend this to my friends.
Received from author in return for an honest review.
November 14, 2013
I will come back later to tweak this, but for I'll just leave my thoughts.
I don't feel like this had all of the pieces a story requires, like the story sandwich shop forgot to put the lettuce and ham on and I'm left with a slice of cheese and soggy bread...
What was the point? conflict/resolution/climax? Other than a few minor conflicts, I don't see any real story here... as much as it sucks to say.
The writing style annoyed me, the MC would say one thing in the beginning and say something totally opposite later on in the story when referring to the same thing. (due to author, not character)
Not for me unfortunately..
I don't feel like this had all of the pieces a story requires, like the story sandwich shop forgot to put the lettuce and ham on and I'm left with a slice of cheese and soggy bread...
What was the point? conflict/resolution/climax? Other than a few minor conflicts, I don't see any real story here... as much as it sucks to say.
The writing style annoyed me, the MC would say one thing in the beginning and say something totally opposite later on in the story when referring to the same thing. (due to author, not character)
Not for me unfortunately..
November 20, 2013
An entertaining read, I was drawn into the story from page one. Tabitha Short gives us a gem in "Renewal." A glimpse into the life of a young professional woman's life after tragedy. We are given a wonderful story about her journey back to her hometown and family to consume herself by taking care of others. In the end, she finally learns to accept help from others and face her grief.
September 6, 2013
Review to Come
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews