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Second Chance #1
Never Forgotten Love
In this mature romance about lost loves, best friends and second chances author S.M. Stryker brings you the first installment of the Second Chances Series.
Beckett was smaller than most boys his age growing up. This caused him to have little to no self-esteem while faced with the physical abuse he endured at the hands of his mother.
His best friend Harlow, who’s not only beautiful, but tough as nails has been there for him since first grade.
Unforeseen circumstances separated them with promises of always keeping in touch. Reminders of a friendship left behind, possessions taken away only lead to a friendship that was once the center of Beckett’s world.
Ten years later, Beckett has the confidence and self-esteem to search for Harlow. The only problem is; she’s off the grid. Every day he thinks of her, every decision he’s made; has been with for her.
Beckett was smaller than most boys his age growing up. This caused him to have little to no self-esteem while faced with the physical abuse he endured at the hands of his mother.
His best friend Harlow, who’s not only beautiful, but tough as nails has been there for him since first grade.
Unforeseen circumstances separated them with promises of always keeping in touch. Reminders of a friendship left behind, possessions taken away only lead to a friendship that was once the center of Beckett’s world.
Ten years later, Beckett has the confidence and self-esteem to search for Harlow. The only problem is; she’s off the grid. Every day he thinks of her, every decision he’s made; has been with for her.
221 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2014
46 people are currently reading
894 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Stryker
25 books274 followersSM Stryker is an Amazon international bestselling author who writes emotionally charged romance and romantic suspense novels that dive deep into love, trauma, and healing. An Oregon native, she draws inspiration from long drives, quiet walks along the river, and the rugged beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
By day, she’s a dedicated mortgage broker—organized, focused, and driven. But by night, she steps into her alter ego: a storyteller who weaves gut-wrenching, steamy love stories that aren't afraid to explore the shadows. Her characters are intense and unforgettable—survivors of heartbreak, betrayal, and trauma who learn to rise, heal, and love again.
Each of her stories is rooted in truth—some inspired by real events, others by the silent battles many face but never voice. Through powerful storytelling, SM Stryker gives those struggles a voice, reminding readers that even in the darkest moments, love can be found—and it can be life-changing.
A wife, mother of four grown daughters, and proud grandmother, she writes from a place of quiet reflection and fierce empathy. Her dream is to become a New York Times bestselling author, not for the title, but for the chance to reach more hearts and share stories that stay with you long after the final page.
Though introverted by nature, she deeply values connection with her readers. You can find her at www.smstryker.com, where she shares updates, sneak peeks, and exclusive content for those on her mailing list.
Because sometimes, the love you weren’t looking for is the one that saves you.
She has shared more of the events of her life in many of her other books.
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PLEASE SIGN UP HERE.
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www.smstryker.com
shelly@smstryker.com
By day, she’s a dedicated mortgage broker—organized, focused, and driven. But by night, she steps into her alter ego: a storyteller who weaves gut-wrenching, steamy love stories that aren't afraid to explore the shadows. Her characters are intense and unforgettable—survivors of heartbreak, betrayal, and trauma who learn to rise, heal, and love again.
Each of her stories is rooted in truth—some inspired by real events, others by the silent battles many face but never voice. Through powerful storytelling, SM Stryker gives those struggles a voice, reminding readers that even in the darkest moments, love can be found—and it can be life-changing.
A wife, mother of four grown daughters, and proud grandmother, she writes from a place of quiet reflection and fierce empathy. Her dream is to become a New York Times bestselling author, not for the title, but for the chance to reach more hearts and share stories that stay with you long after the final page.
Though introverted by nature, she deeply values connection with her readers. You can find her at www.smstryker.com, where she shares updates, sneak peeks, and exclusive content for those on her mailing list.
Because sometimes, the love you weren’t looking for is the one that saves you.
She has shared more of the events of her life in many of her other books.
TO JOIN MY MAILING LIST AND TO RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF NEVER FORGOTTEN LOVE,
PLEASE SIGN UP HERE.
http://facebook.com/Author.S.M.Stryker
www.smstryker.com
shelly@smstryker.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
May 28, 2015
Genre: NA romance
23 yr old computer whiz never forgot his childhood soulmate. Sees her again after 10 yrs.
Holy smokes, was this bad! The writing was barely above fifth grade level and it needed a hundred more commas and paragraphs. Basically, an editor to rewrite the whole thing for the author.
It had some of my favorite tropes so I valiantly tried to slog thru it. I was already saying "WTF is this CRAP?!" on Page 1!
DNF @ 34%
23 yr old computer whiz never forgot his childhood soulmate. Sees her again after 10 yrs.
Holy smokes, was this bad! The writing was barely above fifth grade level and it needed a hundred more commas and paragraphs. Basically, an editor to rewrite the whole thing for the author.
It had some of my favorite tropes so I valiantly tried to slog thru it. I was already saying "WTF is this CRAP?!" on Page 1!
DNF @ 34%
November 22, 2015
I was under the impression this was a polished, final product, not the author's unedited proof. This author should be arrested for offending my senses with her horrible grammar. I'm so sick of some of these authors putting out these unedited/barely edited works. It's honestly straight up disrespectful to the reader to give them an unedited piece of crap. Don't they feel ashamed for doing this? What in the ever-loving fuck.
The author not only has spelling errors (then/than, past/passed, your/you're) throughout, but she's also constantly vacillating between both present and past tense. It caught me by surprise the first time and I took note of it, but after that? The author switched between tensing so much that I just tried to stop pay attention to it (even though I was still forced to because it was fucking distracting). It's bad enough to switch from one tense to another between sentences...but this author does so in the middle of sentences! I hate first-person, present-tense with a passion. No novel should ever, imo, be written in this manner. But tensing changes? For no reason? Ugh, that's basically an invention of the devil, tbh.
The author also has pocket in which she overuses, underuses and plain misuses commas, periods and semi-colons. It was just horrible grammar all around. She clearly doesn't have a grasp on a well-constructed sentence. Instead of using one or two sentences in order to concisely convey a thought, she'll do double or triple that. And then break it down. Into many sentences. For no reason. Whatsoever.
This author is also one who gives the reader descriptions for almost everything. She honestly gives the reader a play-by-play of four-year-old Beckett eating his dinner.
Why did the author even include this? There's literally no point to this. At a later point, she even gives measurements for a piece of wood. Like...why are you telling me this? I'm not about to whip out my measuring tape in order to visualize that shit. She also seems to enjoy giving the reader head-to-toe descriptions of all the characters.
The author does this exact thing with Beckett, Harlow, Harlow's mom and Beckett's mom. There are much better ways to include descriptions of characters without doing it in this manner. And you don't need to give every single detail of how they look the moment they make an appearance in the story.
It's also obvious that she hasn't done any research at all. First, no author, imo, should ever write POVs from the perspective of a child if they don't know how to or just don't bother to research. This author clearly has no idea how to write children because Beckett doesn't sound like a four-year-old child at all. Just because you use "mommy" and "daddy," it doesn't mean you've suddenly written the POV of a child.
The author inconsistently has him not using contractions with some words (I am/I'm and It is/it's) and then using them with others. Does she think that children don't speak in contractions? Because they do. Some children can use contractions when they're three, so four-year-old Beckett would definitely be utilizing them. But one word a four-year-old probably won't know is "aghast," which is a word found in Beckett's narration. Oh, and children at that age won't be speaking in long sentences, which is what both Beckett and Harlow do.
Four-year-old children don't speak like this! It's not that difficult to do a quick search on "First Language Acquisition" in order to get a feel of how children speak. There are plenty of videos and voice clips out there to utilize. Do your damn research.
The author is not just inconsistent with contractions, she also is with other aspects. She has Beckett refer to his dad as "daddy"...and then seconds later, within the same scene, she has Beckett refer to him as "father." Beckett's POV uses words like "shit" and "ass," but then claims that what his mother calls his father is too vulgar.
Beckett refers to Harlow as "Girl" many times. I was under the impression he referred to her like this because he didn't know her name. And then seconds later, within the same scene, he started calling her Harlow girl?? What in the hell was the point of calling her Girl if he already knew her name?? It seems to me that the author assumed this is how a child would think, so she just included it. Combining this with the language issue, it seems the author has an intrinsic misunderstanding of children. Most children use contractions! They use names! They may sound like cavemen when they're at their one and two word stages, but they don't go around referring to and naming one another Girl and Boy (especially if they already know the person's name)!
There's this one point that just proved to me that the author isn't doing a bit of research. Beckett says that his mother's fights feel like WWE wrestling. This book was published at the end of 2014 and, in the present, Beckett is supposed to be 23/24. When Beckett was four years old, which is when he calls it "WWE wrestling," it would have been called WWF, not WWE, because the name was only changed in 2002. The author is clearly not even doing the most basic research. Just...it's not that hard to even wiki this shit, ya know?
Seriously. Do your fucking research.
And then I just had to quit when it came to the end of Chapter 2. Beckett's mom is comically villainous because, every time that she's mentioned, she's always being horrible. it came to the point that it was just ridiculous. The author even gets her being homophobic at the end of the second chapter, throwing out the homophobic f-word slur and calling Beckett gay. This made absolutely no sense because the one friend Beckett had before was a girl, not a boy. He doesn't hang out with anyone else. So why is his mom saying he's gay? It felt to me the author just wanted to make his mom seem horrible, so she had her engage in a homophobic rant.
Speaking of which, is the author homophobic? I've never read any of her work before (and won't be doing so after this), so I'm not familiar with her. When Beckett's mom is calling him gay and using the f-word, he sits there thinking she's flinging "cruel" and "vile" nameS at him. From what I read, she flung one--the f-word--and that was it. I can only assume that someone who's homophobic would consider being called "gay" vile and cruel and a horrible name.
The author's inclusion of body-shaming Beckett's mom and subtly slut-shaming her was another turn-off. Beckett says his mother's bones stick out (in contrast to Harlow's mom, who's all "soft") and that she wears "real tight clothes" when meeting with men. Why did the author include it? This little aside was unnecessary and had me side-eyeing it.
The author not only has spelling errors (then/than, past/passed, your/you're) throughout, but she's also constantly vacillating between both present and past tense. It caught me by surprise the first time and I took note of it, but after that? The author switched between tensing so much that I just tried to stop pay attention to it (even though I was still forced to because it was fucking distracting). It's bad enough to switch from one tense to another between sentences...but this author does so in the middle of sentences! I hate first-person, present-tense with a passion. No novel should ever, imo, be written in this manner. But tensing changes? For no reason? Ugh, that's basically an invention of the devil, tbh.
The author also has pocket in which she overuses, underuses and plain misuses commas, periods and semi-colons. It was just horrible grammar all around. She clearly doesn't have a grasp on a well-constructed sentence. Instead of using one or two sentences in order to concisely convey a thought, she'll do double or triple that. And then break it down. Into many sentences. For no reason. Whatsoever.
This author is also one who gives the reader descriptions for almost everything. She honestly gives the reader a play-by-play of four-year-old Beckett eating his dinner.
Once Girl closes the door, I walk into the kitchen climb up on the footstool to grab a bowl out of the cabinet. Placing the bowl on the countertop, I scoot the stool to the cabinet beside the refrigerator, climbing onto the countertop, standing on my tiptoes to grab the box of Cheerios from the top of the refrigerator. I jump down to the floor; I pumped my fists in the air “yes!” This is the first time I’ve ever jumped from that height.
I finished my cereal, putting my bowl and spoon in the dishwasher, I wasn’t about to make the mistake of leaving it in the sink again. I didn’t want to be woken up in the middle of the night by being yelled at for being a lazy ass.
Why did the author even include this? There's literally no point to this. At a later point, she even gives measurements for a piece of wood. Like...why are you telling me this? I'm not about to whip out my measuring tape in order to visualize that shit. She also seems to enjoy giving the reader head-to-toe descriptions of all the characters.
He is tall; maybe six foot one I think is what Harlow said, with brown hair and spooky gray eyes and he has long dark eyelashes that make his eyes standout.
The author does this exact thing with Beckett, Harlow, Harlow's mom and Beckett's mom. There are much better ways to include descriptions of characters without doing it in this manner. And you don't need to give every single detail of how they look the moment they make an appearance in the story.
It's also obvious that she hasn't done any research at all. First, no author, imo, should ever write POVs from the perspective of a child if they don't know how to or just don't bother to research. This author clearly has no idea how to write children because Beckett doesn't sound like a four-year-old child at all. Just because you use "mommy" and "daddy," it doesn't mean you've suddenly written the POV of a child.
The author inconsistently has him not using contractions with some words (I am/I'm and It is/it's) and then using them with others. Does she think that children don't speak in contractions? Because they do. Some children can use contractions when they're three, so four-year-old Beckett would definitely be utilizing them. But one word a four-year-old probably won't know is "aghast," which is a word found in Beckett's narration. Oh, and children at that age won't be speaking in long sentences, which is what both Beckett and Harlow do.
“Hi Beckett, my mom wants to know if you can eat dinner with us tonight,” she says in an excited voice.
“I can’t leave my house,” I say sadly. “My mommy isn’t here and she told me this morning when I got home I was to stay in the house.”
“You mean you are here all by yourself? No one is home with you?” she asks aghast.
“Yeah, she’s gone a lot at night, so I am here by myself most nights. She doesn’t come home until after I am asleep,” I tell her as if it’s not a big deal, because it isn’t, I can’t remember how old I was when she started leaving me at home. “It will be better now because I can get books at school and read them in my bed.”
Four-year-old children don't speak like this! It's not that difficult to do a quick search on "First Language Acquisition" in order to get a feel of how children speak. There are plenty of videos and voice clips out there to utilize. Do your damn research.
The author is not just inconsistent with contractions, she also is with other aspects. She has Beckett refer to his dad as "daddy"...and then seconds later, within the same scene, she has Beckett refer to him as "father." Beckett's POV uses words like "shit" and "ass," but then claims that what his mother calls his father is too vulgar.
Beckett refers to Harlow as "Girl" many times. I was under the impression he referred to her like this because he didn't know her name. And then seconds later, within the same scene, he started calling her Harlow girl?? What in the hell was the point of calling her Girl if he already knew her name?? It seems to me that the author assumed this is how a child would think, so she just included it. Combining this with the language issue, it seems the author has an intrinsic misunderstanding of children. Most children use contractions! They use names! They may sound like cavemen when they're at their one and two word stages, but they don't go around referring to and naming one another Girl and Boy (especially if they already know the person's name)!
There's this one point that just proved to me that the author isn't doing a bit of research. Beckett says that his mother's fights feel like WWE wrestling. This book was published at the end of 2014 and, in the present, Beckett is supposed to be 23/24. When Beckett was four years old, which is when he calls it "WWE wrestling," it would have been called WWF, not WWE, because the name was only changed in 2002. The author is clearly not even doing the most basic research. Just...it's not that hard to even wiki this shit, ya know?
Seriously. Do your fucking research.
And then I just had to quit when it came to the end of Chapter 2. Beckett's mom is comically villainous because, every time that she's mentioned, she's always being horrible. it came to the point that it was just ridiculous. The author even gets her being homophobic at the end of the second chapter, throwing out the homophobic f-word slur and calling Beckett gay. This made absolutely no sense because the one friend Beckett had before was a girl, not a boy. He doesn't hang out with anyone else. So why is his mom saying he's gay? It felt to me the author just wanted to make his mom seem horrible, so she had her engage in a homophobic rant.
Speaking of which, is the author homophobic? I've never read any of her work before (and won't be doing so after this), so I'm not familiar with her. When Beckett's mom is calling him gay and using the f-word, he sits there thinking she's flinging "cruel" and "vile" nameS at him. From what I read, she flung one--the f-word--and that was it. I can only assume that someone who's homophobic would consider being called "gay" vile and cruel and a horrible name.
The author's inclusion of body-shaming Beckett's mom and subtly slut-shaming her was another turn-off. Beckett says his mother's bones stick out (in contrast to Harlow's mom, who's all "soft") and that she wears "real tight clothes" when meeting with men. Why did the author include it? This little aside was unnecessary and had me side-eyeing it.
August 26, 2015
Beckett had a wretched childhood. (Un)Raised by a pathetic excuse of a mother, Beck found the kind of love in a family through Harlow girl. Together they made cakes and every sweets imaginable and enjoyed every moment they had. But because her mother "thrived" in making his life miserable, he had to move away to another place with his mom and new stepfather. His friend never got to see him again when his mom broke his phone and his computer had gone missing. No communication, no Harlow girl for 10 long years.
When Beckett got older and wiser, he moved away from his mother and strove hard to get himself into college. He then met Richard who served as a father figure and things started to take a turn for the better. Until he saw Harlow girl again. Old memories resurfaced, the pains of the past awoken, anger, disbelief and repentance emerged from their hearts.
Never Forgotten Love is a story of second chances, forgiveness, finding oneself, believing in the future and hoping for the best. S.M. Stryker effectively captured the feelings of teenage angst, broken hearts, unforgiving society and the hopes for a better tomorrow. It's true, Beckett's childhood was gut-wrenching, but it was his determination to rise from where he had fallen that was admirable. Kudos to Miss Stryker for an inspiring story!
When Beckett got older and wiser, he moved away from his mother and strove hard to get himself into college. He then met Richard who served as a father figure and things started to take a turn for the better. Until he saw Harlow girl again. Old memories resurfaced, the pains of the past awoken, anger, disbelief and repentance emerged from their hearts.
Never Forgotten Love is a story of second chances, forgiveness, finding oneself, believing in the future and hoping for the best. S.M. Stryker effectively captured the feelings of teenage angst, broken hearts, unforgiving society and the hopes for a better tomorrow. It's true, Beckett's childhood was gut-wrenching, but it was his determination to rise from where he had fallen that was admirable. Kudos to Miss Stryker for an inspiring story!
May 19, 2015
4.5 cranky stars!
Beckett and Harlow are childhood best friends. Beckett has no self-esteem or confidence because of his verbally and physically abusive mother. She leaves him alone to take care of himself at the young age of 5. He has only two shirts and 2 pair of pants for the entire school year and is an easy target for the kids at school to pick on him. He is smaller than most kids his age plus his mother has gotten into a private school early so she has less time to have to deal with him.
Harlow is his neighbor and she is tough. She protects him from the other kids at school. She has loving parents that take Beckett under their wings. Her father teaches him how to take things about and fix them. Harlow and Beckett spend every possible minute together, he even helps her while she is learning how to create different cupcake recipes. They talk all the time about their dreams of the future.
Then when Beckett is around 13, he is forced to move when his mom remarries. They are devastated and promise to stay in touch. Harlow even makes matching bracelets for them each to wear with a half a heart medallion on it. After another night of being drunk and abusive, Beckett comes home from school the next day to find his computer, phone, books, everything he owned gone. He has lost all ways of staying in contact with Harlow as his computer and phone had all her information on it.
Beckett can’t forget Harlow as he knows they are to be together. In high school he starts to take Krav Mega classes to learn to protect himself from the bullying and gain some self-esteem and confidence. He also meets Richard, someone starting his own software computer company that Beckett is good at doing. Richard is the father he never had. After Beckett graduates college Richard talks him into hiring a private investigator to find Harlow. It has been ten years, and he still wears that bracelet she gave him. There has been no one else for him but his Harlow girl. Will he be able to find her as she seems to have gone off the grid and if he does, will she forgive him for not keeping his promise to stay in touch?
This is a story about lost loves, best friends and second chances but it is also more than that. The story is told in Beckett’s POV so we can relate totally to how little self-esteem he has with the mother he has. The author takes the time for us to know the characters, understand the heartbreak of when they are torn apart as children. Then as adults we see how they have grown and what issues they have had happen to them in the ten years they are apart. There is a great mix of laughs, tears, frustration, angst, and suspense in the book. When you think you know what is going to happen, then something else happens. As Beckett said “It’s funny how what you wish for doesn't always turn out what you want.”
I appreciated the involvement of the supporting characters, at times they were so much a part of the book you didn't feel as if they were supporting characters and I do hope to see books with them as the main characters. I will also be looking to read more from this author.
Beckett and Harlow are childhood best friends. Beckett has no self-esteem or confidence because of his verbally and physically abusive mother. She leaves him alone to take care of himself at the young age of 5. He has only two shirts and 2 pair of pants for the entire school year and is an easy target for the kids at school to pick on him. He is smaller than most kids his age plus his mother has gotten into a private school early so she has less time to have to deal with him.
Harlow is his neighbor and she is tough. She protects him from the other kids at school. She has loving parents that take Beckett under their wings. Her father teaches him how to take things about and fix them. Harlow and Beckett spend every possible minute together, he even helps her while she is learning how to create different cupcake recipes. They talk all the time about their dreams of the future.
Then when Beckett is around 13, he is forced to move when his mom remarries. They are devastated and promise to stay in touch. Harlow even makes matching bracelets for them each to wear with a half a heart medallion on it. After another night of being drunk and abusive, Beckett comes home from school the next day to find his computer, phone, books, everything he owned gone. He has lost all ways of staying in contact with Harlow as his computer and phone had all her information on it.
Beckett can’t forget Harlow as he knows they are to be together. In high school he starts to take Krav Mega classes to learn to protect himself from the bullying and gain some self-esteem and confidence. He also meets Richard, someone starting his own software computer company that Beckett is good at doing. Richard is the father he never had. After Beckett graduates college Richard talks him into hiring a private investigator to find Harlow. It has been ten years, and he still wears that bracelet she gave him. There has been no one else for him but his Harlow girl. Will he be able to find her as she seems to have gone off the grid and if he does, will she forgive him for not keeping his promise to stay in touch?
This is a story about lost loves, best friends and second chances but it is also more than that. The story is told in Beckett’s POV so we can relate totally to how little self-esteem he has with the mother he has. The author takes the time for us to know the characters, understand the heartbreak of when they are torn apart as children. Then as adults we see how they have grown and what issues they have had happen to them in the ten years they are apart. There is a great mix of laughs, tears, frustration, angst, and suspense in the book. When you think you know what is going to happen, then something else happens. As Beckett said “It’s funny how what you wish for doesn't always turn out what you want.”
I appreciated the involvement of the supporting characters, at times they were so much a part of the book you didn't feel as if they were supporting characters and I do hope to see books with them as the main characters. I will also be looking to read more from this author.
March 6, 2017
I hate giving this such a low rating as it seems that the writer really did try to put together a good book but I'm gonna have to be honest. I'm actually quite surprised at all the 4 and 5 star ratings though and feel this needs to be addressed. I'm not a grammar critic and I hate when readers base their negative reviews solely because of one or two misspelt words and a missing comma here and there. But I can definitely see why people gave this book bad reviews because of the grammar. It's not horrible but it's definitely VERY noticeable that it needs serious editing. There is more than a few misspelt words, unnecessary commas, and wrong placement of tenses. It's just all over the place.
The sentence structure is very repetitive and depends on starting many, if not all sentences with the word "I." It was too formal and the narrative seemed like a book for a child learning to read. "I sat down...", "I got a chair...", "I like when...", and so on. In modern day U.S. kids and teenagers, even adults don't talk like that. The use of conjunctions is what our society is accustomed to in everyday speech and we very rarely ever use formal sentences with people we're familiar with. If the writer is going to write a book that takes place in modern day, the voices have to match the time and the character's age to be realistic.
The dialogue from Beckett as a child was not the voice of a four year old. It was way too advanced for someone of his age and they're still learning how to put sentences together. As a teen, it was somewhat passable but still a little awkward. As an adult man though, it was just really off. The writer's voice showed in Beckett and was just way too feminine. As a kid you can understand, but as a grown man (even if he's a nerdy computer whiz) you can distinctly tell the difference in masculinity from femininity.
The book itself felt very juvenile and won't appeal to mature readers. It felt like an amateur teenage girls first attempt at writing a romance story. It was very basic, straight to the point, and all the voices were feminine and matter of fact. It was hard to take it seriously and I ended up skimming most of the book because it felt very...weird. I'm trying so hard not to be outright mean because I don't want to bring the writer down as I'm sure a lot of work went into this but I just don't see how this book has such high ratings with much needed editing and a rewrite with an established author to help this writer distinguish the voices of different characters as well as between male and female. The characters need to be more realistic and less like they're reading straight from a script, the details of every single thing and person is overwhelming and can be cut in half, the narrative is too proper and formal, the dialogue needs work on modern society's speech, the storyline itself needs more authenticity with some more research, and the ending while it might have sounded good in your head, let's be real, that just doesn't happen in the real world. Two weeks of a changed mother does not fix eighteen years of abuse. The idea for the story intrigued me and the blurb was done well enough to catch my attention.
With that said, I'd love to read an edited and rewritten version of this that fixes these things. It has potential, but as of my review this book is more for teenage girls that haven't discovered published works yet or at least writers with some experience and constructive feedback that improved their work. Women twenty-five and older, it's most likely not a book for you if you're a daily reader.
The sentence structure is very repetitive and depends on starting many, if not all sentences with the word "I." It was too formal and the narrative seemed like a book for a child learning to read. "I sat down...", "I got a chair...", "I like when...", and so on. In modern day U.S. kids and teenagers, even adults don't talk like that. The use of conjunctions is what our society is accustomed to in everyday speech and we very rarely ever use formal sentences with people we're familiar with. If the writer is going to write a book that takes place in modern day, the voices have to match the time and the character's age to be realistic.
The dialogue from Beckett as a child was not the voice of a four year old. It was way too advanced for someone of his age and they're still learning how to put sentences together. As a teen, it was somewhat passable but still a little awkward. As an adult man though, it was just really off. The writer's voice showed in Beckett and was just way too feminine. As a kid you can understand, but as a grown man (even if he's a nerdy computer whiz) you can distinctly tell the difference in masculinity from femininity.
The book itself felt very juvenile and won't appeal to mature readers. It felt like an amateur teenage girls first attempt at writing a romance story. It was very basic, straight to the point, and all the voices were feminine and matter of fact. It was hard to take it seriously and I ended up skimming most of the book because it felt very...weird. I'm trying so hard not to be outright mean because I don't want to bring the writer down as I'm sure a lot of work went into this but I just don't see how this book has such high ratings with much needed editing and a rewrite with an established author to help this writer distinguish the voices of different characters as well as between male and female. The characters need to be more realistic and less like they're reading straight from a script, the details of every single thing and person is overwhelming and can be cut in half, the narrative is too proper and formal, the dialogue needs work on modern society's speech, the storyline itself needs more authenticity with some more research, and the ending while it might have sounded good in your head, let's be real, that just doesn't happen in the real world. Two weeks of a changed mother does not fix eighteen years of abuse. The idea for the story intrigued me and the blurb was done well enough to catch my attention.
With that said, I'd love to read an edited and rewritten version of this that fixes these things. It has potential, but as of my review this book is more for teenage girls that haven't discovered published works yet or at least writers with some experience and constructive feedback that improved their work. Women twenty-five and older, it's most likely not a book for you if you're a daily reader.
December 6, 2014
Wow for her second book S.M. Stryker is on a roll. I loved this book. I beta read this and once I started it I couldn't put it down. It has hot sex and its full of emotion! Could you save yourself for that one love you always remember? Can you save all your firsts for this one person?
Have you ever had a childhood friend that is the best friend you ever had and you lose touch with them? Well Beckett and Harlow girl are a true case of what happens when you have this.
Beckett is a small young boy that has a mother of all mothers FREAKING MEAN AS HELL. This boy endures what children shouldn't have too. But one day the neighbor girl comes and asks him to dinner. Beckett has an escape now and a protector and his first and only best friend he will ever have.
Harlow is the girl next door that is an aspiring pastry chef. She loves to bake and create different pastries mostly. She and her parents sort of adopt Beckett as a their own. Mr. Bennett has taken Beckett under his thumb and teaches Beckett how to fix things. One day he gave Beckett a computer and Beckett goes to the library to learn how to repair it. Since his mother is not a nice person to be around he spends his time reading and learning in his room to stay away from his mother. Harlow is his protector since he is bullied by classmates coz of his size and shyness. They spend time at the park talking to each other and telling each other what they want to be when they get older. They both spend all their time together since Becketts mother is gone a lot with her boyfriends.
Beckett's mom is not a very nice and loving mother. She treats Beckett likes he's not loved like a parent should love their child. Beckett's mother meets a man and marries him and they move. Beckett and Harlow promise to keep in touch thru emails and talking on the phone together. Until one night at dinner with Cheryl, Beckett's mother, and Philip his stepfather are eating and his mother goes off on Beckett and Philip gets mad at her and leaves her. From then on Beckett's main goal in life is to graduate early and get out of his mothers sight. She takes away all of Becketts devices he uses to keep in touch with Harlow.
Beckett meets Richard then and Richard takes him under his wings and teaches Beckett more about computers and becomes a father figure to him. From here Beckett learns how to support himself and live his life like he wants too. Except there is one thing missing in his life, Harlow. He has lost all ways of how to contact her and he cant even find her on the internet anywhere. Its like she doesn't exist. But does she?
Will Beckett ever find his one true love and best friend hes ever had? Will his mother ever find him since he left her without so much as a goodbye or will he ever forgive her? Will Harlow remember Beckett and what they felt for each other? Or will she forgive him for not keeping in touch with her?
You have got to read this story. Its so full of emotion and love. The romance is awesome along with the sex. S.M. Stryker has captured my heart with this story. You'll fall in love with Beckett and Harlow and the other characters of this story. I give this 4 stars +. With this being her second book...I will be looking forward to reading more from S.M. Stryker.
Have you ever had a childhood friend that is the best friend you ever had and you lose touch with them? Well Beckett and Harlow girl are a true case of what happens when you have this.
Beckett is a small young boy that has a mother of all mothers FREAKING MEAN AS HELL. This boy endures what children shouldn't have too. But one day the neighbor girl comes and asks him to dinner. Beckett has an escape now and a protector and his first and only best friend he will ever have.
Harlow is the girl next door that is an aspiring pastry chef. She loves to bake and create different pastries mostly. She and her parents sort of adopt Beckett as a their own. Mr. Bennett has taken Beckett under his thumb and teaches Beckett how to fix things. One day he gave Beckett a computer and Beckett goes to the library to learn how to repair it. Since his mother is not a nice person to be around he spends his time reading and learning in his room to stay away from his mother. Harlow is his protector since he is bullied by classmates coz of his size and shyness. They spend time at the park talking to each other and telling each other what they want to be when they get older. They both spend all their time together since Becketts mother is gone a lot with her boyfriends.
Beckett's mom is not a very nice and loving mother. She treats Beckett likes he's not loved like a parent should love their child. Beckett's mother meets a man and marries him and they move. Beckett and Harlow promise to keep in touch thru emails and talking on the phone together. Until one night at dinner with Cheryl, Beckett's mother, and Philip his stepfather are eating and his mother goes off on Beckett and Philip gets mad at her and leaves her. From then on Beckett's main goal in life is to graduate early and get out of his mothers sight. She takes away all of Becketts devices he uses to keep in touch with Harlow.
Beckett meets Richard then and Richard takes him under his wings and teaches Beckett more about computers and becomes a father figure to him. From here Beckett learns how to support himself and live his life like he wants too. Except there is one thing missing in his life, Harlow. He has lost all ways of how to contact her and he cant even find her on the internet anywhere. Its like she doesn't exist. But does she?
Will Beckett ever find his one true love and best friend hes ever had? Will his mother ever find him since he left her without so much as a goodbye or will he ever forgive her? Will Harlow remember Beckett and what they felt for each other? Or will she forgive him for not keeping in touch with her?
You have got to read this story. Its so full of emotion and love. The romance is awesome along with the sex. S.M. Stryker has captured my heart with this story. You'll fall in love with Beckett and Harlow and the other characters of this story. I give this 4 stars +. With this being her second book...I will be looking forward to reading more from S.M. Stryker.
May 29, 2015
Beckett is living with a hateful, abusive mother, forced to fend for himself while she is out. He then makes friends with Harlow, a classmate and neighbor who protects him, cares for him and she and her family become his. They show him what love is. At 13, Beckett moves away, and he loses contact with his "Harlow Girl", even though they promised not to.
Flash forward 10 years, Beckett has grown, physically, emotionally and mentally, he knows Krav Maga.
He no longer the small guy who gets picked on. He works for a computer company, and is motivated and determined to find Harlow. After some digging, he finds her, but she isn't the same girl she was 10 years ago. Old feelings resurface, but so do demons from their last. His more comes into the mix, her ex, and they both need to get reacquainted with one another.
This story, in my opinion was a nice change of pace from what I usually come across with second chance romances. Most second chance romances come down to: guy meets girl, they fall in love, he/she breaks up, moves, cheats, etc. The two reunite, drama from ex-lovers (usually H or h caught in compromising situation with ex), or ex is a pregnant. H or h is drinking and sleeping around a lot to mend a broken heart, or to forget their one lost love. H is either uber Alpha male or h is a weak damsel in distress. Then eventually they reunite and rekindle their love and bunnies and rainbows come out. As much as I love an HEA, that formula gets old.
So, with this read, I liked the fact that Beckett wasn't portrayed as a manwhore. I liked that, although Beckett had opportunities to date, etc, he didn't feel right doing it since he loved Harlow and wanted to be successful. Some may say that's unheard of or unlikely, but he truly loved her and wanted to be the best he could be for her. I also liked that he wasn't a complete Alpha, granted, there were times he was forceful, but it wasn't overdone. And he was strong when needed. Harlow, I felt so bad for her. Not understanding why her best friend and love cut ties with her after their shared promises. And then her ex...wow! Talk about grudge and cray-cray.
This read only took me a few hours to read, it was a great read while I was nursing my back injury. It definitely showed how true love never dies, no matter what.
Flash forward 10 years, Beckett has grown, physically, emotionally and mentally, he knows Krav Maga.
He no longer the small guy who gets picked on. He works for a computer company, and is motivated and determined to find Harlow. After some digging, he finds her, but she isn't the same girl she was 10 years ago. Old feelings resurface, but so do demons from their last. His more comes into the mix, her ex, and they both need to get reacquainted with one another.
This story, in my opinion was a nice change of pace from what I usually come across with second chance romances. Most second chance romances come down to: guy meets girl, they fall in love, he/she breaks up, moves, cheats, etc. The two reunite, drama from ex-lovers (usually H or h caught in compromising situation with ex), or ex is a pregnant. H or h is drinking and sleeping around a lot to mend a broken heart, or to forget their one lost love. H is either uber Alpha male or h is a weak damsel in distress. Then eventually they reunite and rekindle their love and bunnies and rainbows come out. As much as I love an HEA, that formula gets old.
So, with this read, I liked the fact that Beckett wasn't portrayed as a manwhore. I liked that, although Beckett had opportunities to date, etc, he didn't feel right doing it since he loved Harlow and wanted to be successful. Some may say that's unheard of or unlikely, but he truly loved her and wanted to be the best he could be for her. I also liked that he wasn't a complete Alpha, granted, there were times he was forceful, but it wasn't overdone. And he was strong when needed. Harlow, I felt so bad for her. Not understanding why her best friend and love cut ties with her after their shared promises. And then her ex...wow! Talk about grudge and cray-cray.
This read only took me a few hours to read, it was a great read while I was nursing my back injury. It definitely showed how true love never dies, no matter what.
December 28, 2014
Review for Rising Indies United
3.5 stars
Beckett had a rough childhood. The one person that is suppose to love you more than life itself, really couldn't be bothered by him. His mom, left him at home, alone, even at the age of 5 and younger. She abused him both physically and mentally. Beat him and called him names. He was always smaller than everyone else at school, so he did get picked on a lot. Until Harlow became his friend.
Harlow was his best friend, from the age of 5. They were inseparable, until his mom moved them to Oregon from WA when he was around 12. Harlow would stand up to the bullies for him, she was his little protector. A strong little girl, that other kids didn't mess with. Beckett's mom took everything from him, so he lost contact with Harlow.
Both Harlow and Beckett have been through a lot. He finally decides to hire a PI to help find her. Little does he know that she will be coming back into his life sooner than that though. A chance stop at a local bakery and everything changes for both of them.
Now it's his turn to protect Harlow from an abusive and violent ex boyfriend.
This was a good read. I did feel like the story line was rushed though. I felt that sometimes there was too much detail and others I felt like there should have been more. Harlow was such a strong little girl, and I understand what she went through with her ex and all, but, I felt like she should have stood up for herself a little bit more when she saw Beckett again. She was spitting mad, but gave in so easy to him. There are quiet a few 5 star reviews for this book, so I'm not in the norm. I would say give it a chance and read it though. It's a good read and is enjoyable.
3.5 stars
Beckett had a rough childhood. The one person that is suppose to love you more than life itself, really couldn't be bothered by him. His mom, left him at home, alone, even at the age of 5 and younger. She abused him both physically and mentally. Beat him and called him names. He was always smaller than everyone else at school, so he did get picked on a lot. Until Harlow became his friend.
Harlow was his best friend, from the age of 5. They were inseparable, until his mom moved them to Oregon from WA when he was around 12. Harlow would stand up to the bullies for him, she was his little protector. A strong little girl, that other kids didn't mess with. Beckett's mom took everything from him, so he lost contact with Harlow.
Both Harlow and Beckett have been through a lot. He finally decides to hire a PI to help find her. Little does he know that she will be coming back into his life sooner than that though. A chance stop at a local bakery and everything changes for both of them.
Now it's his turn to protect Harlow from an abusive and violent ex boyfriend.
This was a good read. I did feel like the story line was rushed though. I felt that sometimes there was too much detail and others I felt like there should have been more. Harlow was such a strong little girl, and I understand what she went through with her ex and all, but, I felt like she should have stood up for herself a little bit more when she saw Beckett again. She was spitting mad, but gave in so easy to him. There are quiet a few 5 star reviews for this book, so I'm not in the norm. I would say give it a chance and read it though. It's a good read and is enjoyable.
December 17, 2014
***Received an ARC for an honest review by Bookalicious Babes Blog***
If you are a huge romantic like I am, you will LOVE Never Forgotten Love! It's a sweet story that oozes romance yet is a bit of a suspense and thriller.
Never Forgotten Love takes you through the lives of Beckett and Harlow, childhood best friends, who are separated as teens when Beckett's family moves. Both Beckett and Harlow experience tragedies and struggle as they are pulled into darkness and despair. Fate intervenes and weaves this man and woman's lives together again. Like the name, this story is about that first love that you never forget. But the past has a way of returning and just can't stop playing with Beckett and Harlow, who both deserve a second chance at happiness and love.
This book is beautifully written and is comparable to Nicholas Sparks' books though with more of a splash of sexy steam. Great job, S.M. Stryker!
5 sweet stars!
If you are a huge romantic like I am, you will LOVE Never Forgotten Love! It's a sweet story that oozes romance yet is a bit of a suspense and thriller.
Never Forgotten Love takes you through the lives of Beckett and Harlow, childhood best friends, who are separated as teens when Beckett's family moves. Both Beckett and Harlow experience tragedies and struggle as they are pulled into darkness and despair. Fate intervenes and weaves this man and woman's lives together again. Like the name, this story is about that first love that you never forget. But the past has a way of returning and just can't stop playing with Beckett and Harlow, who both deserve a second chance at happiness and love.
This book is beautifully written and is comparable to Nicholas Sparks' books though with more of a splash of sexy steam. Great job, S.M. Stryker!
5 sweet stars!
July 16, 2016
First things first, this was a good book. I had some trouble in the beginning, but to the credit of the author, I Always do. The story line is good and the flow was there. I didn't really connect with the characters until close to the end, I am not sure why, but I did tear up a time or two. I think the sentence structure could be better, but I'm ok with it as it is, not too big of a deal, because I am a reader of stories, not the English major that edits as I go...so as a reader I genuinely liked this story. I am looking forward to the next book, to see what growth there is in this new author.
January 15, 2020
In true second chance fashion the tale of Beckett and Harlow starts off with Harlow becoming Beckett's savior when childhood abuse becomes too much to deal with on his own. Next comes their separation and moving on with their own lives always missing their other half. And ends in a heart warming fashion filled with action, suspense, drama and honest emotions. I can honestly say I was locked in from the beginning and held my breath through most of the storyline. Second chances always mean more when the characters are so lovable and true. Cannot wait for more in the series.
May 28, 2015
Never Forgotten Love by S.M. Stryker is a great book, and even though it is a book about lost love and second chances, and best friends to lovers, if you have read it like I did, it also holds an important message in it.
We first meet the main characters Beckett and Harlow when they are both 4 years old. Harlow lives in a wonderful home and has wonderful parents. Beckett on the other hand has a mom who barely speaks to him, continually browbeats him, physically abuses him, and has a string of men coming through her home continually. His mom is always drunk, and that is all Beckett knows, he is small for his age on top of that and so his path in life is quickly identified. When school starts, he is given two pair of pants, two shirts, 6 pair of underwear, 6 pair of sox and one pair of shoes to last the whole school year, and if he grows -oh well, too bad. This goes on until he is 17, by the way. His mother goes out most nights, and he is left alone and if she is not there when he gets home he is instructed to eat a bowl of cereal for his dinner. Beckett is quickly identified in school as a weakling and the bullying starts.
Harlow meets Beckett when they move in, and she goes to his house to speak with him. They become fast friends and more often than not can be found at her home. Her parents do not realize how bad Beckett really has it, however they have some idea, from what Harlow tells them, and he is always invited for dinner. Early on Harlow's Dad takes him under his wing and quickly realizes that Beckett has a quick mind and can take apart anything and put it back together! Beckett helps take appliances apart and fixes them and anything else that need to be built Richard(Harlow's dad) has Beckett helping him. He even brings home a used computer, and watches as Beckett checks out books to read about how to fix it and he does, and is given the computer as a gift!
But most of all Harlow and Beckett love each other from the beginning, and she protects him at school against all the bullies. To Beckett, Harlow is the most beautiful girl in the world.
One day Beckett's mom comes home and tells Beckett they are moving and he is devastated! So is Harlow. She gives him a bracelet with half a heart and wears the other half herself-two halves of a whole. When they leave, Harlow and her mom and dad come out to say goodbye and Harlow sees Beckett out of the back window crying.
They keep in touch until in a rage, Beckett's mom throws his computer down and breaks it-his only lifeline to Harlow! But he still wears the bracelet, and keeps trying hard so he will be able to get back to the little girl he has always loved.
Ten years passes, a lot changes, Beckett is now, graduating from high school, and he has a new mentor looking out for him and he sees the potential in Beckett, and hires him to work with him while going to college-the day Beckett graduated from high school, he left home and moved into a small apt by the college. By the time he graduates from college he owns half of a Fortune 500 Company, this is the gift his mentor gives him! He tells Beckett it was his drive, knowledge and success that got them there and it was only fair!
Harlow on the other hand has gone through hell, she missed Beckett so much and thought he just quit talking to her one day never knowing that Beckett's mom ruined their only communication-the computer her Dad had given Beckett to have. She starts dating a young man who turns out to be an abusive man, and one night,tries to rape her in her own home. Her Dad hearing her scream runs up the stairs, and pulls him off his daughter,but the man beats Harlow's dad and gets away before the cops arrive. Harlow is sent to live with her aunt so she will be safe.
One day while going out for lunch, after attempting to find Harlow everywhere even hiring someone to find her he finds her in a new bakery that has opened-her bakery, and before he even sees her he knows it's her bakery as she has a cupcake named after him! They have found each other!
The road to love can be hard sometimes, and they both have baggage that needs to be cleared up-Beckett his abusive mom who has found Beckett and keeps coming for money, and Harlow's ex trying to get to her to hurt her.
What will happen? Will they ever be able to have a normal relationship? Will Beckett's Mom ever quit victimizing Beckett? Will Harlow's ex ever leave them alone? Do they stand a chance at a life together with everything that has happened to the both of them?
You will have to read the book to find out how it all ends, but I just have to say this book was about so much more than two people in love. It shows that when Beckett was being so abused and most people would have just given up hope-he had the drive to lift his head and move forward with the help of a few people-but ultimately it was his determination to be someone he himself could be proud of. He ultimately had to have the determination and drive to better himself. You will read how this is accomplished!
It also shows that when there is love, anything is possible, but you can't just lay around wanting to change things you have to have the determination to make things happen for you! This is a beautiful story and I will read it again from time to time, because it was that good!
I gave this book 5*****stars and can't wait to read more by S.M. Stryker. I also read Stolen Innocence by her and it too is an awesome book I suggest you read!
We first meet the main characters Beckett and Harlow when they are both 4 years old. Harlow lives in a wonderful home and has wonderful parents. Beckett on the other hand has a mom who barely speaks to him, continually browbeats him, physically abuses him, and has a string of men coming through her home continually. His mom is always drunk, and that is all Beckett knows, he is small for his age on top of that and so his path in life is quickly identified. When school starts, he is given two pair of pants, two shirts, 6 pair of underwear, 6 pair of sox and one pair of shoes to last the whole school year, and if he grows -oh well, too bad. This goes on until he is 17, by the way. His mother goes out most nights, and he is left alone and if she is not there when he gets home he is instructed to eat a bowl of cereal for his dinner. Beckett is quickly identified in school as a weakling and the bullying starts.
Harlow meets Beckett when they move in, and she goes to his house to speak with him. They become fast friends and more often than not can be found at her home. Her parents do not realize how bad Beckett really has it, however they have some idea, from what Harlow tells them, and he is always invited for dinner. Early on Harlow's Dad takes him under his wing and quickly realizes that Beckett has a quick mind and can take apart anything and put it back together! Beckett helps take appliances apart and fixes them and anything else that need to be built Richard(Harlow's dad) has Beckett helping him. He even brings home a used computer, and watches as Beckett checks out books to read about how to fix it and he does, and is given the computer as a gift!
But most of all Harlow and Beckett love each other from the beginning, and she protects him at school against all the bullies. To Beckett, Harlow is the most beautiful girl in the world.
One day Beckett's mom comes home and tells Beckett they are moving and he is devastated! So is Harlow. She gives him a bracelet with half a heart and wears the other half herself-two halves of a whole. When they leave, Harlow and her mom and dad come out to say goodbye and Harlow sees Beckett out of the back window crying.
They keep in touch until in a rage, Beckett's mom throws his computer down and breaks it-his only lifeline to Harlow! But he still wears the bracelet, and keeps trying hard so he will be able to get back to the little girl he has always loved.
Ten years passes, a lot changes, Beckett is now, graduating from high school, and he has a new mentor looking out for him and he sees the potential in Beckett, and hires him to work with him while going to college-the day Beckett graduated from high school, he left home and moved into a small apt by the college. By the time he graduates from college he owns half of a Fortune 500 Company, this is the gift his mentor gives him! He tells Beckett it was his drive, knowledge and success that got them there and it was only fair!
Harlow on the other hand has gone through hell, she missed Beckett so much and thought he just quit talking to her one day never knowing that Beckett's mom ruined their only communication-the computer her Dad had given Beckett to have. She starts dating a young man who turns out to be an abusive man, and one night,tries to rape her in her own home. Her Dad hearing her scream runs up the stairs, and pulls him off his daughter,but the man beats Harlow's dad and gets away before the cops arrive. Harlow is sent to live with her aunt so she will be safe.
One day while going out for lunch, after attempting to find Harlow everywhere even hiring someone to find her he finds her in a new bakery that has opened-her bakery, and before he even sees her he knows it's her bakery as she has a cupcake named after him! They have found each other!
The road to love can be hard sometimes, and they both have baggage that needs to be cleared up-Beckett his abusive mom who has found Beckett and keeps coming for money, and Harlow's ex trying to get to her to hurt her.
What will happen? Will they ever be able to have a normal relationship? Will Beckett's Mom ever quit victimizing Beckett? Will Harlow's ex ever leave them alone? Do they stand a chance at a life together with everything that has happened to the both of them?
You will have to read the book to find out how it all ends, but I just have to say this book was about so much more than two people in love. It shows that when Beckett was being so abused and most people would have just given up hope-he had the drive to lift his head and move forward with the help of a few people-but ultimately it was his determination to be someone he himself could be proud of. He ultimately had to have the determination and drive to better himself. You will read how this is accomplished!
It also shows that when there is love, anything is possible, but you can't just lay around wanting to change things you have to have the determination to make things happen for you! This is a beautiful story and I will read it again from time to time, because it was that good!
I gave this book 5*****stars and can't wait to read more by S.M. Stryker. I also read Stolen Innocence by her and it too is an awesome book I suggest you read!
June 19, 2017
Absolutely you touching..I fell in love with Beckett immediately
November 6, 2018
Such a romantic story!
January 9, 2020
Awesome Story & Audible Listen🎧 Beckett💘Harlow Girl!
Beckett
Second Chance, Book 1
By: SM Stryker
Narrated by: Nicholas Donald Malcolm
I loved everything about this audiobook, from S.M. Stryker’s fabulous writing style to the story and characters she created to Nicholas Donald Malcolm’s narration. This story is realistic and it grabbed both my heart and attention right from the start and held it straight to end. I first met Beckett in Mitchell, the second book and I was intrigued by him and wanted to learn more about him. This book starts off in his younger years, at four years old he had already learned to fend for himself. His saving grace was Harlow, the girl next door, the two became best of friends and her family took him under their wings. Harlow’s Dad was awesome to him, saw the goodness in Beckett and how smart he was. Beckett was sad when he found out he would be moving away, he and Harlow shared a special bond and they promised each other to always stay in touch. But his abusive mother ruined all that for him with her actions and he was not able to hold true promise and the two fell out of touch. My heart broke for Beckett, his terrible home life and then to have a rough time in school, being picked on. Things start looking up for him, he worked on getting stronger and then landing a job with Richard. Beckett never stopped thinking of Harlow, he even tried to find her but never could. But it turns out she was closer than he thought and they find their way to each other again. Only problem is Harlow comes with trouble. I loved how everything plays out in this book, it is well plotted with plenty of drama, action, a bit of angst, some twists and turns, thrilling suspense, some heartbreaking moments, heartfelt ones and an awesome romance and second chance to live and love. This story runs concurrently with Mitchell’s so it was great seeing those characters again. Thank you S.M. Stryker for another terrific story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, Nicholas Donald Malcolm is a talented narrator and voice artist. He brings the characters to life giving each their own voice and personality, as well as heart and attitude. He does a great job projecting the characters emotions and the drama of the story into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for a great listen🎧
Beckett
Second Chance, Book 1
By: SM Stryker
Narrated by: Nicholas Donald Malcolm
I loved everything about this audiobook, from S.M. Stryker’s fabulous writing style to the story and characters she created to Nicholas Donald Malcolm’s narration. This story is realistic and it grabbed both my heart and attention right from the start and held it straight to end. I first met Beckett in Mitchell, the second book and I was intrigued by him and wanted to learn more about him. This book starts off in his younger years, at four years old he had already learned to fend for himself. His saving grace was Harlow, the girl next door, the two became best of friends and her family took him under their wings. Harlow’s Dad was awesome to him, saw the goodness in Beckett and how smart he was. Beckett was sad when he found out he would be moving away, he and Harlow shared a special bond and they promised each other to always stay in touch. But his abusive mother ruined all that for him with her actions and he was not able to hold true promise and the two fell out of touch. My heart broke for Beckett, his terrible home life and then to have a rough time in school, being picked on. Things start looking up for him, he worked on getting stronger and then landing a job with Richard. Beckett never stopped thinking of Harlow, he even tried to find her but never could. But it turns out she was closer than he thought and they find their way to each other again. Only problem is Harlow comes with trouble. I loved how everything plays out in this book, it is well plotted with plenty of drama, action, a bit of angst, some twists and turns, thrilling suspense, some heartbreaking moments, heartfelt ones and an awesome romance and second chance to live and love. This story runs concurrently with Mitchell’s so it was great seeing those characters again. Thank you S.M. Stryker for another terrific story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, Nicholas Donald Malcolm is a talented narrator and voice artist. He brings the characters to life giving each their own voice and personality, as well as heart and attitude. He does a great job projecting the characters emotions and the drama of the story into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for a great listen🎧
May 5, 2015
Never Forgotten Love is a story about lost loves, best friends and second chances. The story is told from the male’s POV. Beckett and Harlow have know each other since Beckett was 5 years old. They were neighbors and being small for his age and having no self-esteem or confidence and always picked on at school, Harlow would defend him. They would spend all their time together, him helping her with experimenting with different cupcake recipes to talking about their dreams of the future. Her parents showed him what a family was like and taught him things that parents should since Beckett’s mom was absent more than present and when she was around she was drunk and abusive both physically and verbally. Then when Beckett is 13, his mom marries and they move away. Beckett and Harlow promise to keep in touch and she even makes them matching bracelets with half a heart medallion on each. Unfortunately, Beckett’s mom has another of her episodes where she decides to punish him for something that was not his fault and takes his phone, computer and everything else he owns. This leaves him with no way of contacting Harlow. Fast forward ten years, even though we see things Beckett goes through during those ten years and the friendship he has with Richard, and he decides to try and find Harlow. After not finding her anywhere, who isn't found on Google, Beckett wonders, Richard convinces him to hire a private investigator. Then on his way back to the office he stops at the new local bakery and finds Harlow. Will she be able to forgive him for not keeping in touch? She also has ten years of experiences and not all good that have left her with trust and security issues.
The author allows us to see the characters grow from children to adults. We get to know them and can easily relate to them. They feel real. There is romance, sex, and tears in the book as well as twists that you don’t see coming. As Beckett say: “It’s another one of those things that what you wish for isn't always what you want.” I’m looking forward to future books by this author as well as spin-off of the awesome supporting characters.
The author allows us to see the characters grow from children to adults. We get to know them and can easily relate to them. They feel real. There is romance, sex, and tears in the book as well as twists that you don’t see coming. As Beckett say: “It’s another one of those things that what you wish for isn't always what you want.” I’m looking forward to future books by this author as well as spin-off of the awesome supporting characters.
June 5, 2016
I loved this book and have found a new author! When I first started reading it, I though oh no this is going to be so depressing. It wasn't. It was suspenseful, hopeful, loving, and exciting. I didn't want to put the book down as I wanted to find out what happened.
It starts with Beckett Dalton only being four years old, with no friends, a weird mother, and left at home a lot. His next door neighbor, Harlow Bennett befriend him, took care of the kids bullying him, and had him over to her house often. As they grew they became inseparable. When Beckett was upset, he would always go to the park by his house and sit on the swings. Harlow would always be there with him. They made a vow to always stay friends and find each other no matter what. Harlow's parents loved Beckett and her Dad taught him how to fix things and work with his hands. He was a smart boy and even fixed a computer at the young age of 12. Beckett's mother married and they moved to Oregon which broke Beckett and Harlow's hearts. Beckett was a small scrawny kid that did not have any friends. He kept up with Harlow with the computer he built and through texting with his phone. His mother had a melt down one night, and when he came home the next day his computer was gone and his phone smashed. He had no way to get in touch with Harlow.
You need to read the book to see what happens through Beckett's high school years, the people who befriend him, and what happens when he finally finds Harlow again. I loved Beckett with his strength and optimism. Luckily he had some wonderful people in his life to make up for his crappy childhood. Harlow was a strong women that had been beat down. That is a story in itself. There is also a psycho that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You can't go wrong with the book. I didn't see a lot of errors in the book. I was given the book for an honest review.
It starts with Beckett Dalton only being four years old, with no friends, a weird mother, and left at home a lot. His next door neighbor, Harlow Bennett befriend him, took care of the kids bullying him, and had him over to her house often. As they grew they became inseparable. When Beckett was upset, he would always go to the park by his house and sit on the swings. Harlow would always be there with him. They made a vow to always stay friends and find each other no matter what. Harlow's parents loved Beckett and her Dad taught him how to fix things and work with his hands. He was a smart boy and even fixed a computer at the young age of 12. Beckett's mother married and they moved to Oregon which broke Beckett and Harlow's hearts. Beckett was a small scrawny kid that did not have any friends. He kept up with Harlow with the computer he built and through texting with his phone. His mother had a melt down one night, and when he came home the next day his computer was gone and his phone smashed. He had no way to get in touch with Harlow.
You need to read the book to see what happens through Beckett's high school years, the people who befriend him, and what happens when he finally finds Harlow again. I loved Beckett with his strength and optimism. Luckily he had some wonderful people in his life to make up for his crappy childhood. Harlow was a strong women that had been beat down. That is a story in itself. There is also a psycho that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You can't go wrong with the book. I didn't see a lot of errors in the book. I was given the book for an honest review.
June 7, 2015
SNS Rating: 4.5
~~~~~~~~~~Dee's ★★★★★ Review~~~~~~~~~~
It's a story of second chances and not just for Harlow & Beckett. To find your first true love after a decade is a special blessing. After they workout the initial pain of abandonment, then they have to deal with a psycho ex and a deranged relative. Lots of tension and excitement. Watching true love grow again is thrilling. Loved the characters and seeing others find their partners too. Filled with passion and honest emotions, I recommend this book to any book lover of romance and mystery. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Five Stars.
~~~~~~~~~~Doris's ★★★★✰ Review~~~~~~~~~~
Beckett has only known abuse his whole life growing up. Harlow was the girl next door who was his defender against bullies at school. Through the years they have become best friends. When Beckett's abusive mother decides to remarry and move, Harlow and Beckett are brokenhearted. Harlow gives Beckett a leather bracelet with half a heart and she has it's companion and they vow to always keep in touch and never remove the bracelets. Life happens and they loose touch with each other. Ten years have passed and in those ten years Beckett has thought of Harlow each and every day. He wants to look for her, but so far he hasn't been able to find anything on line. What should he do? Should he continue his search? And if he finds her will she be willing to give him a second chance? A sweet story that captivates you to the very end. Drama, intrigue, love, hate, everything that is needed in a great story. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, I give it 4 Stars!
~~~~~~~~~~Dee's ★★★★★ Review~~~~~~~~~~
It's a story of second chances and not just for Harlow & Beckett. To find your first true love after a decade is a special blessing. After they workout the initial pain of abandonment, then they have to deal with a psycho ex and a deranged relative. Lots of tension and excitement. Watching true love grow again is thrilling. Loved the characters and seeing others find their partners too. Filled with passion and honest emotions, I recommend this book to any book lover of romance and mystery. I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Five Stars.
~~~~~~~~~~Doris's ★★★★✰ Review~~~~~~~~~~
Beckett has only known abuse his whole life growing up. Harlow was the girl next door who was his defender against bullies at school. Through the years they have become best friends. When Beckett's abusive mother decides to remarry and move, Harlow and Beckett are brokenhearted. Harlow gives Beckett a leather bracelet with half a heart and she has it's companion and they vow to always keep in touch and never remove the bracelets. Life happens and they loose touch with each other. Ten years have passed and in those ten years Beckett has thought of Harlow each and every day. He wants to look for her, but so far he hasn't been able to find anything on line. What should he do? Should he continue his search? And if he finds her will she be willing to give him a second chance? A sweet story that captivates you to the very end. Drama, intrigue, love, hate, everything that is needed in a great story. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, I give it 4 Stars!
August 16, 2016
Book: Never Forgotten Love (Second Chances #1)
Author: S.M. Stryker
Publication Date: 5/23/2015
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW
New to me author.
Little young Beckett never can do anything right in his mothers eyes. She is so abusive to him; she does not take care of him at all. Then one day someone knocks on his door. He knows he is not supposed to answer it but he does and it is the little girl next door Harlow.
They become instant best friends. Harlow never realizes just how much she means to Beckett and then one day he is gone.
Harlow has no idea where he went and it breaks her heart.
Many years later fate has shone down on Beckett and he has his life in order all except one thing is missing and that is Harlow.
While out grabbing something for breakfast, he stumbles upon a cupcake, which has a name he recognizes, and it all starts to grow from there. It is his long lost love the one girl he never forgot, the one girl he waited for. However, she is not the same girl and that shine is not in her eyes anymore.
Harlow and Beckett walk and talk about things and what she has to tell him breaks his heart but he is determined to get that smile back on the girl he has loved his entire life.
We get a few surprises towards the end of the book.
This was a true heartwarming story. Real love like this does not exist anymore and if you are lucky to find it never let go.
This book was free on Amazon.
S.M. Stryker
Author: S.M. Stryker
Publication Date: 5/23/2015
Reviewed by: Tammy Payne- Book Nook Nuts
My Rating: 5 Stars
REVIEW
New to me author.
Little young Beckett never can do anything right in his mothers eyes. She is so abusive to him; she does not take care of him at all. Then one day someone knocks on his door. He knows he is not supposed to answer it but he does and it is the little girl next door Harlow.
They become instant best friends. Harlow never realizes just how much she means to Beckett and then one day he is gone.
Harlow has no idea where he went and it breaks her heart.
Many years later fate has shone down on Beckett and he has his life in order all except one thing is missing and that is Harlow.
While out grabbing something for breakfast, he stumbles upon a cupcake, which has a name he recognizes, and it all starts to grow from there. It is his long lost love the one girl he never forgot, the one girl he waited for. However, she is not the same girl and that shine is not in her eyes anymore.
Harlow and Beckett walk and talk about things and what she has to tell him breaks his heart but he is determined to get that smile back on the girl he has loved his entire life.
We get a few surprises towards the end of the book.
This was a true heartwarming story. Real love like this does not exist anymore and if you are lucky to find it never let go.
This book was free on Amazon.
S.M. Stryker
December 17, 2014
I really love Beckett and Harlow. They both have horrible pasts that does not keep them down and out of love and life. Beckett has a drive to better and not give up. He is able to realize life can go on if he keeps on trying to do his best instead of being sucked into negative things. I am so glad he had Richard as a positive male role model after his family with Harlow is ripped away from him. He never forgets about her and strives to make sure that if he finds her one day that he is a worthy man of her love and friendship.
Harlow is another great character in this book. She is strong and realistic in how she deals with what has happened to her. I find a little of myself in her and very relatable. I love how she is able to open herself up to the possibilities with Beckett. She has more strength inside her then she realizes. Harlow never forgot Beckett either and felt betrayed for many years until he was able to explain when they meet up again.
This story is about a strong friendship turned to real love. They have issues and struggles like others but like S. M Stryker's other book I find them to be believable, real characters that I could have met in real life. S.M Stryker got me again and I am glad I was able to read this book. It's as if parts of my life are on paper. This was a well written and thought out story that I really loved. It was sweet and everyone should experience in their life the true friendship that Beckett and Harlow have.
Harlow is another great character in this book. She is strong and realistic in how she deals with what has happened to her. I find a little of myself in her and very relatable. I love how she is able to open herself up to the possibilities with Beckett. She has more strength inside her then she realizes. Harlow never forgot Beckett either and felt betrayed for many years until he was able to explain when they meet up again.
This story is about a strong friendship turned to real love. They have issues and struggles like others but like S. M Stryker's other book I find them to be believable, real characters that I could have met in real life. S.M Stryker got me again and I am glad I was able to read this book. It's as if parts of my life are on paper. This was a well written and thought out story that I really loved. It was sweet and everyone should experience in their life the true friendship that Beckett and Harlow have.
July 4, 2015
I had the honors of not only BETA reading this book getting an ARC when it was completed.
S.M. Stryker has gone above and beyond with this book, it is a must read, you will not be able to put the book down, I read it in one sitting and then read it again just because. I don’t normally read any book more than once.
But there wasn't nothing not to love Beckett attended the school of hard knocks, when the one person who should love him, his mom couldn't be bothered with being a mom. Beckett was an easy target growing up and then he met Harlow who was happy to step up and not only be his best friend but stick up for him. Along with Harlow he got her parents. But then he had to move and lost contact with Harlow, but she was his Harlow girl and he never gives up hope that one day she will be his again. The question is will he always be the one for Harlow, can they meet years later and pick up where they left off, Beckett has Richard now who is almost like a father to him and doesn't let him quiet, Harlow has lived the hard knocks and can she trust anyone now, ever mind the one guy who promised her they would never loss contact. This book is just the right about of OMG did that really just happen and the right about of romance where you know this book could happen to anyone. If you are looking for a true romance that could happen to you then I suggest you wait no long and read this book. S.M. Stryker is on a roll can’t wait for her next book.
S.M. Stryker has gone above and beyond with this book, it is a must read, you will not be able to put the book down, I read it in one sitting and then read it again just because. I don’t normally read any book more than once.
But there wasn't nothing not to love Beckett attended the school of hard knocks, when the one person who should love him, his mom couldn't be bothered with being a mom. Beckett was an easy target growing up and then he met Harlow who was happy to step up and not only be his best friend but stick up for him. Along with Harlow he got her parents. But then he had to move and lost contact with Harlow, but she was his Harlow girl and he never gives up hope that one day she will be his again. The question is will he always be the one for Harlow, can they meet years later and pick up where they left off, Beckett has Richard now who is almost like a father to him and doesn't let him quiet, Harlow has lived the hard knocks and can she trust anyone now, ever mind the one guy who promised her they would never loss contact. This book is just the right about of OMG did that really just happen and the right about of romance where you know this book could happen to anyone. If you are looking for a true romance that could happen to you then I suggest you wait no long and read this book. S.M. Stryker is on a roll can’t wait for her next book.
December 17, 2014
Life as a kid is tough and both Beckett and Harlow have had more than their fair share of misery whilst they were growing up but they had each other.
I loved Beckett, his attitude and enthusiasm was inspirational. No matter the hell that was heaped upon him, he found his positive and moved forward. When Harlow was taken from him, he never gave up and always held onto the hope that he could find her again.
Do dreams come true? Well if you work hard enough they just might!
Harlow is a strong woman, she has compartmentalised what happened to her and moved on. She lives in the here and now and is very pragmatic about everything and that I found very easy to relate too.
When she reconnects with Beckett she initially finds it difficult to get over the years they have been apart but being with Beckett again supersedes all her anxieties and they begin to build a relationship, one they not only deserve but one that they could have had long ago.
This is the perfect second chance at finding your first love.
The author does an exquisite job of marrying the angst of loss and pain with the acceptance of the fact that life can be cruel.
She gave depth to the characters and credence to the fact that is you get your chance to have the one you want then you have to everything humanly possible to hold on tight to not only true love but true friendship.
I loved Beckett, his attitude and enthusiasm was inspirational. No matter the hell that was heaped upon him, he found his positive and moved forward. When Harlow was taken from him, he never gave up and always held onto the hope that he could find her again.
Do dreams come true? Well if you work hard enough they just might!
Harlow is a strong woman, she has compartmentalised what happened to her and moved on. She lives in the here and now and is very pragmatic about everything and that I found very easy to relate too.
When she reconnects with Beckett she initially finds it difficult to get over the years they have been apart but being with Beckett again supersedes all her anxieties and they begin to build a relationship, one they not only deserve but one that they could have had long ago.
This is the perfect second chance at finding your first love.
The author does an exquisite job of marrying the angst of loss and pain with the acceptance of the fact that life can be cruel.
She gave depth to the characters and credence to the fact that is you get your chance to have the one you want then you have to everything humanly possible to hold on tight to not only true love but true friendship.
November 6, 2015
Beckett is a 4 years boy that doesn't know what a mother, a family and love is. But he has his “Harlow Girl”, his little neighbor that gives to him unconditionally what he needs to grow up as a better man: friendship, love and a family.
But for Beckett all the good things in his life don't last long. Moving in another place with his foolish mother is the end of his dreams.
Ten years later Backett and Harlow have a second chance to start a new life together. For them, though, love comes with a price tag and they are willing and ready to pay for it.
I gave this book 5 stars not for the good writing, for the plot or catchy phrases. If I have to honest the writing is too much simple, the side characters seems to fall in love at the speed of ligth. But for me a good book is a book that gives me feelings, that reaches my heart, that makes me laugh and cry, that makes me think about life.
So any “techinical” issues are not for me to judge.
In this book I felt the heart and soul of this author, how much she is eager to deliver to her readers a true story, to share with them a piece of her life. And this takes more courage than write the bestselling book of the year.
Thanks Shelly for sharing with me a piece of you. As a reader I can only share my review.
Read the review on my blog: http://jewelbooklover.blogspot.com/20...
But for Beckett all the good things in his life don't last long. Moving in another place with his foolish mother is the end of his dreams.
Ten years later Backett and Harlow have a second chance to start a new life together. For them, though, love comes with a price tag and they are willing and ready to pay for it.
I gave this book 5 stars not for the good writing, for the plot or catchy phrases. If I have to honest the writing is too much simple, the side characters seems to fall in love at the speed of ligth. But for me a good book is a book that gives me feelings, that reaches my heart, that makes me laugh and cry, that makes me think about life.
So any “techinical” issues are not for me to judge.
In this book I felt the heart and soul of this author, how much she is eager to deliver to her readers a true story, to share with them a piece of her life. And this takes more courage than write the bestselling book of the year.
Thanks Shelly for sharing with me a piece of you. As a reader I can only share my review.
Read the review on my blog: http://jewelbooklover.blogspot.com/20...
September 15, 2016
great book about promises kept and first loves lost. . .but found again. loved it and hope see more from this author soon
January 21, 2020
Beckett
Second Chance, Book 1
By: SM Stryker
Narrated by: Nicholas Donald Malcolm
There is nothing better than a second chance romance where the couple has known each other since childhood. Beckett met Harlow when he was 6, and with a mother who could care less about him was taken under the wing of his friend Harlow and her family. When he was uprooted, and eventually lost touch, their childhood love for each other did not die. Now that they are reunited, will that spark still be there? I loved this book from start to finish. It starts out heartbreaking when we hear about Beckett and I wasn't sure where this was going to go. Beckett is a little dark, and has some issues, but you can't help but want to fix him up. He is broken, yet lovable. Harlow is a rock for him, though there are times I was completely frustrated by her. I did love her personality and loving way she loved him, both as a child and as a man. There are some complex problems, they need to overcome, as in SM Stryker fashion, she adds a little suspense to give your heart that thrill. It's a great listen.
This is my first listen by Nicholas Donald Malcolm and I loved his voice. He has a deep, rich sound and is wonderful as Beckett. He can be emotional and strong at the same time. He also switched between male and female voices with ease and made the listen very enjoyable.
Second Chance, Book 1
By: SM Stryker
Narrated by: Nicholas Donald Malcolm
There is nothing better than a second chance romance where the couple has known each other since childhood. Beckett met Harlow when he was 6, and with a mother who could care less about him was taken under the wing of his friend Harlow and her family. When he was uprooted, and eventually lost touch, their childhood love for each other did not die. Now that they are reunited, will that spark still be there? I loved this book from start to finish. It starts out heartbreaking when we hear about Beckett and I wasn't sure where this was going to go. Beckett is a little dark, and has some issues, but you can't help but want to fix him up. He is broken, yet lovable. Harlow is a rock for him, though there are times I was completely frustrated by her. I did love her personality and loving way she loved him, both as a child and as a man. There are some complex problems, they need to overcome, as in SM Stryker fashion, she adds a little suspense to give your heart that thrill. It's a great listen.
This is my first listen by Nicholas Donald Malcolm and I loved his voice. He has a deep, rich sound and is wonderful as Beckett. He can be emotional and strong at the same time. He also switched between male and female voices with ease and made the listen very enjoyable.
December 26, 2014
Is it possible to love someone from the first moment you meet them? This story is about two friends who bonded and loved each other from the moment they met at the age of five years old. Of course their love went through phases and changed. What never changed was their devotion to each other regardless of the obstacles.
As they become teenagers and their feelings continue to grow, the unthinkable happens. Beckett is told he is moving and must leave Harlow. His has not been a happy childhood at home. He has never met his father, his mother drinks incessantly, and the words of abuse she spews hurt more than blows to his body. The only happiness he has ever experienced has been with Harlow and her family. They have given him affection and guidance, providing the only positive influence in his life.
Years of separation, traumatic experiences, with Harlow's life in danger, Beckett reconnects with her and vows to protect her at all costs. The scenes between Harlow and Beckett make for some of the most romantic and deeply felt parts of this story.
This is a story that uplifts the heart. As our main characters survive the many obstacles they encounter, they hold steadfast to their beliefs, their love, and their commitment to doing what is right.
As they become teenagers and their feelings continue to grow, the unthinkable happens. Beckett is told he is moving and must leave Harlow. His has not been a happy childhood at home. He has never met his father, his mother drinks incessantly, and the words of abuse she spews hurt more than blows to his body. The only happiness he has ever experienced has been with Harlow and her family. They have given him affection and guidance, providing the only positive influence in his life.
Years of separation, traumatic experiences, with Harlow's life in danger, Beckett reconnects with her and vows to protect her at all costs. The scenes between Harlow and Beckett make for some of the most romantic and deeply felt parts of this story.
This is a story that uplifts the heart. As our main characters survive the many obstacles they encounter, they hold steadfast to their beliefs, their love, and their commitment to doing what is right.
June 23, 2015
As soon as I read the blurb for this book I wanted to read it. I found myself immersed into the story right away and I read it straight through, I just didn't want to put it down. The author did a terrific job with this one, it is just so well written and the characters are real and just grab your heart. The story is fraught with emotion. It also reminded me of those that I was very close with in my youth and then life happened and we lost touch. This is what happened that Beckett and Harlow. Beckett had a terrible childhood, he was small and and an easy target from others and he had a horrible, mother who wasn't really an kind of mother and his self esteem was non existent. Then along came Harlow, and she gave him something he desperately needed and never had. True friendship and love. She stuck up for him and stood by him and became his refuge. Then Beckett's mother moved them away and though they promised to stay in touch with each other, space and time and life got in the way and they lost touch. Years later Beckett is on a mission to find Harlow. When he finally finds her, can they get over the past in hopes for a future? I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2015
At a young age Beckett only knew abuse by the hands of his Mother. At only 4 years old he remembers how cruel she was to him. Never doing anything right. What he has on his side was even though he was young he was very smart so he advanced in school. Always bullied in school till one day a cute little girl by the name of Harlow came into his life. She just happen to be his neighbor. They became friends and her family became's a Forster type of family by showing him love and teaching him thing that stayed with him when his mother moved them for away. Now years later with both of them never forgetting about each other but not knowing how to fine each other, a chance meeting brings them back together. After all these years can they just pick up where they left off. Will the time apart be to much or will the trouble Harlow ran away from keep a wedge between them. I will say this was a little different but I liked it. You have a bond between two people that formed first from bulling and abuse to a strong friendship to over the years even thought they lost touch that love that layed dormant keep that hope alive that one day faith would bring them back together. I recommend this book and if I could I would give it a 4.5 star rating. Give Beckett and Harlow's story a try.
January 31, 2015
Alone in the world with a mean, hateful mother, little 5 year old Beckett does everything for himself, except fend off the bullies at school. That job is handled by Harlow. Harlow is Beckett's savior at school and soon becomes on at home. Neighbors since they were in Kindergarten, Harlow and her parents treat Beckett like family. But too soon, Beckett's mother destroys his life when she marries and moves Beckett to the other side of the state. Even though they vowed to never lose contact, they soon do.
Fast forward 10 years later and many tragedies between the two and Beckett and Harlow meet again. With so many unanswered questions and hurt feelings, can they rekindle their friendship? Can they be more than that? Will Harlow's psycho ex-boyfriend and Beckett's crazy mother keep them apart?
S.M. Stryker has done it again. Each story by her get better and better. I can't wait to read more of her stories. This book keeps you intrigued. You never know what's waiting around each corner.
Fast forward 10 years later and many tragedies between the two and Beckett and Harlow meet again. With so many unanswered questions and hurt feelings, can they rekindle their friendship? Can they be more than that? Will Harlow's psycho ex-boyfriend and Beckett's crazy mother keep them apart?
S.M. Stryker has done it again. Each story by her get better and better. I can't wait to read more of her stories. This book keeps you intrigued. You never know what's waiting around each corner.
January 11, 2015
For me this book had all the elements that I love in a good story.
Second chance love...is their anything better than that...I don't think so
Beckett had a terrible life but within that terrible life he found Harlow...his saviour and his very best friend.
They lost touch when he was taken away when he was still too young to do anything about it breaking both of their hearts...this book thus tells us both past and present in Becketts Pov ...which in itself I loved and thought it was done brilliantly.
They meet again and sparks fly although Harlow is naturally wary and shocked because she didn't understand what had happened all those years ago...but despite this they once again become close.
This is a true love story but it's not all rainbows and unicorns as there are very real threats to the couple and can they overcome them to find their HEA?
I loved the characters, the backstory and the general feel of the book and I will be looking forward to more!
Second chance love...is their anything better than that...I don't think so
Beckett had a terrible life but within that terrible life he found Harlow...his saviour and his very best friend.
They lost touch when he was taken away when he was still too young to do anything about it breaking both of their hearts...this book thus tells us both past and present in Becketts Pov ...which in itself I loved and thought it was done brilliantly.
They meet again and sparks fly although Harlow is naturally wary and shocked because she didn't understand what had happened all those years ago...but despite this they once again become close.
This is a true love story but it's not all rainbows and unicorns as there are very real threats to the couple and can they overcome them to find their HEA?
I loved the characters, the backstory and the general feel of the book and I will be looking forward to more!
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