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Coming Back
Once, Christabelle Jayne defied death. Learning to live and love again is going to be so much harder.
After being abducted and vanishing without a trace, she was presumed dead. But Christie isn’t the kind of girl that goes down without a fight. When she crawls out of the forest almost two years later, bruised and bleeding, she is confronted by a world that seems to have moved on and left her behind.
Dean Hawking returned to Warfields after a terrible tragedy on the job shook his faith in humanity. The cop’s transfer home wasn't the cure-all he hoped for until the best thing about it, the girl he loved since high school, Christie Jayne, turns up alive.
Their worlds are thrust together again for the first time in years. Though still reeling from her ordeal, in Dean she finds a fathomless love that reminds her there are still beautiful things in the world. In Christie, he sees his chance at redemption…
Then Dean uncovers some startling information about Christie’s case, revealing that she might be in imminent danger, and their second chance at love will be put to the test when the full story of her escape is revealed. Can there be any coming back from what she’s had to do?
After being abducted and vanishing without a trace, she was presumed dead. But Christie isn’t the kind of girl that goes down without a fight. When she crawls out of the forest almost two years later, bruised and bleeding, she is confronted by a world that seems to have moved on and left her behind.
Dean Hawking returned to Warfields after a terrible tragedy on the job shook his faith in humanity. The cop’s transfer home wasn't the cure-all he hoped for until the best thing about it, the girl he loved since high school, Christie Jayne, turns up alive.
Their worlds are thrust together again for the first time in years. Though still reeling from her ordeal, in Dean she finds a fathomless love that reminds her there are still beautiful things in the world. In Christie, he sees his chance at redemption…
Then Dean uncovers some startling information about Christie’s case, revealing that she might be in imminent danger, and their second chance at love will be put to the test when the full story of her escape is revealed. Can there be any coming back from what she’s had to do?
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
89 people are currently reading
1184 people want to read
About the author
Emma South
11 books201 followersI’m in my thirties and living in New Zealand. A little over a year ago I lost somebody very close to me. I was lucky in a way, I was given enough time to make a promise. My promise was that I would never forget our young and innocent love, and it’s a promise I intend to keep.
My writing is a way to help me keep that promise. I’ve always enjoyed writing but was forced into being ‘prudent’ and giving myself over to soul-crushing office work for the sake of a steady salary. Recent events forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and I decided to take a chance. I like to put little pieces of ‘us’ into my writing, from funny conversations we had, to apocalyptic arguments, to that special feeling you get when you hop into bed fully aware that your feet are freezing but your partner doesn’t kick you away.
Even though these things are set in fictional worlds and attached to fictional characters, in a way it feels like I’m doing something that will make our love live forever. If somebody reads one of my stories and likes a joke or sheds a tear, then our love has lived on, and I thank any readers I might have for that.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
July 28, 2015
This review contains spoilers of the upmost unbelievability! You've been forewarned:)
Okay, so that's my immediate reaction @ just 4%. I mean shittttt!
Some marine comes to your door to tell you the love of your life is dead, As you're running away, literally, from the shit storm that's attacked your heart, some sick fuck shoots you in the ass with a laced dart gun and says: "You better not die. Nobody's gonna want to fuck you if you're dead."
Holy Hell... if ^that's^ not called a bad mf'ing day then I don't know what would be?!?
I'm All In For The First 1/3 Of The Book
We are introduced to a POV from a cop, Dean, that had a high school crush on the female MC and only recently moved back home sometime after Christie was kidnapped.
Almost a year and a half passes from that stunning intro into Christie's life. Her loved ones and family thought her dead & had her funeral. Then, suddenly she escapes, intact but severely emotionally damaged. Welcome home!
Readers have no clue what tortures she's endured or how she escaped it, but it's insinuated that it'll be horrific when we find out later.
I'm thinking shit can't get worse for this chick, right? Right?
Then chapter nine strikes! F'ing shock!! I wanted to lay down and ugly cry for this chick. I wanted to possibly add a few scars to her husband, Nick.
Dean is there, persistent, as he tries to both distract her from her woes and remind her of the strong girl he's always known her to be.
So, at this point, I'm thinking of this as a "Kiss The Girls" type gig and can just see where ol Dean is going to help Christie hunt down her kidnapper and get some good old revenge as they fall madly in love and we all forget about Nick.
^ Ah, no, not even mf'ing close. Stay tuned~
The Writing
The narrative here is not only dual POV, but also switches back & forth between before, present, and some dreamscape. This element is well done; there's no confusion about past and present tense.
The author is also very good at phrasing, comparisons, and word choices to help the reader emotionally feel what the MC has and is going through within the initial pivotal scenes. Not so much so later, however.
Then, the author just takes a torch and sets all the emotional connections she's made between Christie and the reader afire. Did she see a spider somewhere? Idk, but she incinerated the shit.
The author takes the plot and characters in directions that moot all the emotional empathy she's earned. The author inserts all this cheesy, clipped, inconsequential, childish, unbelievable, and/or jibberish dialogue and narrative that takes the story from poignant straight to melodramatic teenage'ish fluff.
Too much of the book is mundane goings on or a diatribe that directly negates a previous diatribe - ie 'oh, I love him' to 'love isn't f'ing real for a broken person like me.'
WTF Happened? Did I Miss Something?
Around 45%, in chapters 16 & 17, there's a clear & totally unexpected shift in the relationship between Dean and Christie.
Heretofore, we know Dean had feelings for her in high school and that he still harbors those feelings, but their relationship now is friends. And, I use the term friends loosely. They were friendly years ago in high school. Anyhoo, this friendship is basically only scenes of him getting her out of a self-imposed seclusion under the guise of helping him exercise and play with his dog a couple of times.
So, when all of a sudden they go out on a date (nothing wrote about him asking or what led up to it) and romantic feelings are confessed out of the clear blue sky, it feels like I've missed quite a few chapters of lead-in to her switching from obsessing about Nick to her reciprocating Dean's romantic feelings.
Then, bam, they both say "I love you" at 57%. Okay, where the hell did that shit come from? Insta- date to insta couple to insta love. Well, hell?!?
The entire thing is oddly written! It feels like a huge black hole swallowed the portion of the romantic storyline between rekindling a friendship - to- hey, I love you.
It's also extremely odd that the author literally set a bomb concerning Nick being alive after all and had the female MC blow a gasket over him choosing his current woman over returning to her... Only for the whole thing to just be quietly swept away like it was inconsequential so that the MC can havesex make the best love of her life to Dean. Cue melodramatic guilt trip of her being the adulteress, of course. *frustrated sigh*
Uhm, Really?
The lame...
So, what to do with my life after surviving being kidnapped for 18 months? Half a day devoted to this pondering thought, and thebest only thing Christie comes up with is to "love all the way or not at all."
I'm expecting something profound, a Eureka moment. Im expecting some type of epiphany! I'm expecting something that gives voice to her as both a survivor & a person.
I'm not at all expecting some lame as "love all the way.." bullshit. What did she not love Nick all the way? She went on for 1/3 of the book about how mf'ing saintly he was, how perfect their marriage was, & how much she loved and worshiped him. So, if a happy marriage wasn't loving someone all the way, then wtf is? Lame?
Of course, cue the melodramatics
The melodramatic...
She's a murder. She is kidnapped for 18 months. We are told that she is beaten (open handed, of course). She runs from her captor. He tries to catch her. She kills his ass with *dun, dun dun* a rock. She lies to everyone for 99% of the book by saying she can't remember. She loves Dean and feels that she must tell Dean that she murdered her captor for her to*dun, dun, dun*love all the way.
Why not have the gold trifecta of a horrible book...
The lame, melodramatic, and the added sprinkling of unbelievable!
Sex traffickers don't keep their victims locked in a room awaiting a "bidder" for 18 mf'ing MONTHS. Between feeding her shit like Chinese takeout and popping two sedatives every night, he'd have spent more keeping her than anyone would ever pay for some housewife. Oh, and did I mention that he didn't rape her at all. I'm not advocating rape by any GD means. But come the f on. Crazy sexslave trader doesn't rape the hostage he has held up for 18 months?!?
It's melodramatic. It's lame. It's unf'ing believable!
Bottom Line
.......
..........
Okay, so that's my immediate reaction @ just 4%. I mean shittttt!
Some marine comes to your door to tell you the love of your life is dead, As you're running away, literally, from the shit storm that's attacked your heart, some sick fuck shoots you in the ass with a laced dart gun and says: "You better not die. Nobody's gonna want to fuck you if you're dead."
Holy Hell... if ^that's^ not called a bad mf'ing day then I don't know what would be?!?
I'm All In For The First 1/3 Of The Book
We are introduced to a POV from a cop, Dean, that had a high school crush on the female MC and only recently moved back home sometime after Christie was kidnapped.
Almost a year and a half passes from that stunning intro into Christie's life. Her loved ones and family thought her dead & had her funeral. Then, suddenly she escapes, intact but severely emotionally damaged. Welcome home!
Readers have no clue what tortures she's endured or how she escaped it, but it's insinuated that it'll be horrific when we find out later.
I'm thinking shit can't get worse for this chick, right? Right?
Then chapter nine strikes! F'ing shock!! I wanted to lay down and ugly cry for this chick. I wanted to possibly add a few scars to her husband, Nick.
Dean is there, persistent, as he tries to both distract her from her woes and remind her of the strong girl he's always known her to be.
So, at this point, I'm thinking of this as a "Kiss The Girls" type gig and can just see where ol Dean is going to help Christie hunt down her kidnapper and get some good old revenge as they fall madly in love and we all forget about Nick.
^ Ah, no, not even mf'ing close. Stay tuned~
The Writing
The narrative here is not only dual POV, but also switches back & forth between before, present, and some dreamscape. This element is well done; there's no confusion about past and present tense.
The author is also very good at phrasing, comparisons, and word choices to help the reader emotionally feel what the MC has and is going through within the initial pivotal scenes. Not so much so later, however.
Then, the author just takes a torch and sets all the emotional connections she's made between Christie and the reader afire. Did she see a spider somewhere? Idk, but she incinerated the shit.
The author takes the plot and characters in directions that moot all the emotional empathy she's earned. The author inserts all this cheesy, clipped, inconsequential, childish, unbelievable, and/or jibberish dialogue and narrative that takes the story from poignant straight to melodramatic teenage'ish fluff.
Too much of the book is mundane goings on or a diatribe that directly negates a previous diatribe - ie 'oh, I love him' to 'love isn't f'ing real for a broken person like me.'
WTF Happened? Did I Miss Something?
Around 45%, in chapters 16 & 17, there's a clear & totally unexpected shift in the relationship between Dean and Christie.
Heretofore, we know Dean had feelings for her in high school and that he still harbors those feelings, but their relationship now is friends. And, I use the term friends loosely. They were friendly years ago in high school. Anyhoo, this friendship is basically only scenes of him getting her out of a self-imposed seclusion under the guise of helping him exercise and play with his dog a couple of times.
So, when all of a sudden they go out on a date (nothing wrote about him asking or what led up to it) and romantic feelings are confessed out of the clear blue sky, it feels like I've missed quite a few chapters of lead-in to her switching from obsessing about Nick to her reciprocating Dean's romantic feelings.
Then, bam, they both say "I love you" at 57%. Okay, where the hell did that shit come from? Insta- date to insta couple to insta love. Well, hell?!?
The entire thing is oddly written! It feels like a huge black hole swallowed the portion of the romantic storyline between rekindling a friendship - to- hey, I love you.
It's also extremely odd that the author literally set a bomb concerning Nick being alive after all and had the female MC blow a gasket over him choosing his current woman over returning to her... Only for the whole thing to just be quietly swept away like it was inconsequential so that the MC can have
Uhm, Really?
The lame...
So, what to do with my life after surviving being kidnapped for 18 months? Half a day devoted to this pondering thought, and the
I'm expecting something profound, a Eureka moment. Im expecting some type of epiphany! I'm expecting something that gives voice to her as both a survivor & a person.
I'm not at all expecting some lame as "love all the way.." bullshit. What did she not love Nick all the way? She went on for 1/3 of the book about how mf'ing saintly he was, how perfect their marriage was, & how much she loved and worshiped him. So, if a happy marriage wasn't loving someone all the way, then wtf is? Lame?
Of course, cue the melodramatics
The melodramatic...
She's a murder. She is kidnapped for 18 months. We are told that she is beaten (open handed, of course). She runs from her captor. He tries to catch her. She kills his ass with *dun, dun dun* a rock. She lies to everyone for 99% of the book by saying she can't remember. She loves Dean and feels that she must tell Dean that she murdered her captor for her to*dun, dun, dun*love all the way.
Why not have the gold trifecta of a horrible book...
The lame, melodramatic, and the added sprinkling of unbelievable!
Sex traffickers don't keep their victims locked in a room awaiting a "bidder" for 18 mf'ing MONTHS. Between feeding her shit like Chinese takeout and popping two sedatives every night, he'd have spent more keeping her than anyone would ever pay for some housewife. Oh, and did I mention that he didn't rape her at all. I'm not advocating rape by any GD means. But come the f on. Crazy sexslave trader doesn't rape the hostage he has held up for 18 months?!?
It's melodramatic. It's lame. It's unf'ing believable!
Bottom Line
.......
..........
June 13, 2015
Kidnap, torture, isolation, drugs and loneliness, for almost two years, young Christabelle was held prisoner, threatened with death, beaten and starved. Presumed dead, the town she loved was crushed, her family broken and her lover had to leave to escape the memories and the plans that would never come true. The day of her great escape brought more clarity and daring than she had known in a long time.
What would she find when she returned home? Was she fit to be around “decent” people anymore? Would she be an object of pity and gossip? Would she ever feel safe again? Physically, Christie came home, but emotionally and mentally she was trapped in a kind of limbo that was impervious to being breached.
Dean had loved Christie since high school, but she never knew. Now a member of the police force, his job is to protect her, but his quest is to reach the girl hidden deep within the pain and release her from her personal hell.
Coming Back by Emma South is a starkly beautiful tale of survival, renewal and learning to trust and live again. Too often we assume that when the media hype dies down, the victim does not get placed neatly on a shelf, all healed and happy. Emma South has taken an all-too-often seen occurrence and ripped away the veil of obscurity as she tunnels through the minds and hearts of every victim in this heinous crime. Christie may have done the time, but anyone who knew or cared for her became just as much of a victim to the twisted minds of criminals looking to trade in human flesh. Her reunion isn’t always pretty, no sparkle, no instant happy endings and Ms. South sugar coats NOTHING as she tells of the struggle to fully rise from the ashes of the unspeakable, a brilliant Phoenix, with tattered wings. Does love conquer all or is it the bravery to face the haunting memories with the strength of a helping hand that never lets go? If you breathe, you need to read this tale of what happens after one comes back. There is power in words and Emma South has a mean right cross.
I received an ARC edition of Coming Back from Emma South in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 8, 2015
Publisher: Emma South
ISBN-13: 9781512119824
Genre: New Adult Romantic Suspense
Paperback: 226 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For More Reviews, Promotions and all things Books visit: http://tometender.blogspot.com
What would she find when she returned home? Was she fit to be around “decent” people anymore? Would she be an object of pity and gossip? Would she ever feel safe again? Physically, Christie came home, but emotionally and mentally she was trapped in a kind of limbo that was impervious to being breached.
Dean had loved Christie since high school, but she never knew. Now a member of the police force, his job is to protect her, but his quest is to reach the girl hidden deep within the pain and release her from her personal hell.
Coming Back by Emma South is a starkly beautiful tale of survival, renewal and learning to trust and live again. Too often we assume that when the media hype dies down, the victim does not get placed neatly on a shelf, all healed and happy. Emma South has taken an all-too-often seen occurrence and ripped away the veil of obscurity as she tunnels through the minds and hearts of every victim in this heinous crime. Christie may have done the time, but anyone who knew or cared for her became just as much of a victim to the twisted minds of criminals looking to trade in human flesh. Her reunion isn’t always pretty, no sparkle, no instant happy endings and Ms. South sugar coats NOTHING as she tells of the struggle to fully rise from the ashes of the unspeakable, a brilliant Phoenix, with tattered wings. Does love conquer all or is it the bravery to face the haunting memories with the strength of a helping hand that never lets go? If you breathe, you need to read this tale of what happens after one comes back. There is power in words and Emma South has a mean right cross.
I received an ARC edition of Coming Back from Emma South in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: June 8, 2015
Publisher: Emma South
ISBN-13: 9781512119824
Genre: New Adult Romantic Suspense
Paperback: 226 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For More Reviews, Promotions and all things Books visit: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 6, 2015
This was a pretty good romance with a little bit of suspense. my only complaints are that I didn't get a good grasp of the relationship between the hero and heroine. yes, we heard then saying how much they love one another but I didn't feel any connection to them as a couple. they never felt like a genuine "in love" couple for me. also, there was some very unrealistic, far-fetched events. even though these aspects kept me from loving the book, for a quick read with some.suspense this one did the trick. It made for a fast paced read.
July 13, 2015
Hmmmm
I don't usually write reviews but this one got me and not in a good way. I'm not sure I read the same book the other reviewers have read. This book was.....disjointed. I feel like there were huge pieces to a puzzle that were missing. I don't think I can quite put my finger on what it was exactly but I felt no real connection to the characters. The only thing that made me feel anything in this book was the loss of Nick and Christies relationship. Otherwise I had no emotional investment in this book. Was there another book before this that I should have read ? I just felt like I was missing something the whole time I was reading. Zero emotional investment in a book that should have had me on a rollercoaster from the beginning. I would give zero stars if that were an option.
I don't usually write reviews but this one got me and not in a good way. I'm not sure I read the same book the other reviewers have read. This book was.....disjointed. I feel like there were huge pieces to a puzzle that were missing. I don't think I can quite put my finger on what it was exactly but I felt no real connection to the characters. The only thing that made me feel anything in this book was the loss of Nick and Christies relationship. Otherwise I had no emotional investment in this book. Was there another book before this that I should have read ? I just felt like I was missing something the whole time I was reading. Zero emotional investment in a book that should have had me on a rollercoaster from the beginning. I would give zero stars if that were an option.
February 26, 2016
A captivating, intriguing, mysterious second chance love story with a twist. Coming Back is well-written, has an intriguing storyline and twists you don't see coming. From the prologue to the very end, Emma South has written a story that keeps you guessing right up to the very end.
July 12, 2015
Intriguing premise but very little development.
d-n-f
October 6, 2015Made it to 29% before giving up. Christie is insanely immature and too much time is wasted on her boo-hooing over the life she lost instead of valuing the one she has. Bored with it.
June 27, 2015
Coming Back is an unapologetically raw and deeply passionate journey of remolding and reinvigorating the human spirit. This is a story of finding what it takes to live one day after another and then fighting for that privilege no matter what. Our lives need to be lived with meaning and passion, otherwise why live them at all. One very important part of our being is a heart. Without the heart, life is nothing more than just a daily, clinical routine to stay alive. No matter what you do, live fully, love thoroughly, and above all never stop dreaming.
Christie had a wonderful life that she wouldn’t have traded for all the money in the world. One day can bring out the end of any dream, and to her horror, Christie saw her dream not only breaking in half but shattering into oblivion before her eyes. She could never have imagined the evil that destroyed her world and robbed her of everything she held dear. No matter what all it took away, she still kept her memories and her hope close to her heart. The small flame of hope may have flickered out a few times, but it was never extinguished. When life unexpectedly handed her a golden opportunity that was impossible to pass up, she grabs onto it with everything she is worth and holds on tight. Will Christie find her way back to life, or will she allow herself to lose hope at the insurmountable obstacles standing in her way?
The characters that I met throughout this story were completely amazing and absolutely brilliant. The each brought their own color of family, hope, and love until they had finally wove together an unimaginably beautiful tapestry that surrounded and permeated and held Christie together. I fell in love with this story while watching Dean’s precious yet unpretentious love slowly breathe life into Christie. Something so small and yet so monumental could mean the difference between life and death. We must never take that or anything else for granted. Life is priceless and fleeting, so don’t waste a single second of it.
Emma South has taken my breath away with this absolutely exquisite story. Her characters have left a huge impression on my heart of which I will always remember. Her expert story telling both entertained and taught me so much. I look forward to reading more from this wildly talented author, and I encourage everyone to read this outstanding book which will remind you that life is worth everything, love is life changing, and hope is what makes your heart beat.
Christie had a wonderful life that she wouldn’t have traded for all the money in the world. One day can bring out the end of any dream, and to her horror, Christie saw her dream not only breaking in half but shattering into oblivion before her eyes. She could never have imagined the evil that destroyed her world and robbed her of everything she held dear. No matter what all it took away, she still kept her memories and her hope close to her heart. The small flame of hope may have flickered out a few times, but it was never extinguished. When life unexpectedly handed her a golden opportunity that was impossible to pass up, she grabs onto it with everything she is worth and holds on tight. Will Christie find her way back to life, or will she allow herself to lose hope at the insurmountable obstacles standing in her way?
The characters that I met throughout this story were completely amazing and absolutely brilliant. The each brought their own color of family, hope, and love until they had finally wove together an unimaginably beautiful tapestry that surrounded and permeated and held Christie together. I fell in love with this story while watching Dean’s precious yet unpretentious love slowly breathe life into Christie. Something so small and yet so monumental could mean the difference between life and death. We must never take that or anything else for granted. Life is priceless and fleeting, so don’t waste a single second of it.
Emma South has taken my breath away with this absolutely exquisite story. Her characters have left a huge impression on my heart of which I will always remember. Her expert story telling both entertained and taught me so much. I look forward to reading more from this wildly talented author, and I encourage everyone to read this outstanding book which will remind you that life is worth everything, love is life changing, and hope is what makes your heart beat.
July 17, 2015
Where do I start?
Firstly the things I liked about the book.
1. The premise behind this book was great, and enjoyed the read.
2. I loved Christie and managed to connect with her and how she felt and found myself tearing up at times.
3. I loved the dog and thought he was great.
Secondly the things I didn't like.
1. This book portrayed itself as a suspense, but that just wasn't the case for me, it started really good and I expected it to get really great and lots of twists turns at the end, but for me the ending fell short and it just kind of fizzled out when I was expecting a whole lot more.
2. The relationship between Christie and Dean just didn't do it for me, I found I could connect with them individually but not as a couple and although I do believe he had loved her all this time I think the story would have been more believable if they were friends for a while first, it seemed too much for me after what she had been through. I do know they were friends for a short time first and he visited her with his dog but there wasn't anything overwhelming and connecting about it to make me believe they had actually fallen in love and was happy.
3. And then there was Nick, I know he wasn't a bad guy, but I just couldn't find myself liking him at all, even though I tried to. I think this is because the author didn't really go into detail of what he had went through to make us understand everything.
4. Like I said earlier the story had good premise, but for me I would of liked more detail of everything, particularly of what she had been through, about what she had been through with both guys, about what her family had been through while she was gone, for me it felt as though a lot of important details were missed out.
Although I liked this book and enjoyed reading it, as you can see a lot didn't do it for me. I think the only reason I gave 3 stars was from the sample as after reading that I thought it sounded great and was going to be one of my favourite books, however that just didn't happen and the story seemed rushed and anticlimactic, leaving me disappointed. However even though it wasn't one of my all time favourites doesn't mean it won't be anyone else's, and if you enjoy short reads this could be for you.
Firstly the things I liked about the book.
1. The premise behind this book was great, and enjoyed the read.
2. I loved Christie and managed to connect with her and how she felt and found myself tearing up at times.
3. I loved the dog and thought he was great.
Secondly the things I didn't like.
1. This book portrayed itself as a suspense, but that just wasn't the case for me, it started really good and I expected it to get really great and lots of twists turns at the end, but for me the ending fell short and it just kind of fizzled out when I was expecting a whole lot more.
2. The relationship between Christie and Dean just didn't do it for me, I found I could connect with them individually but not as a couple and although I do believe he had loved her all this time I think the story would have been more believable if they were friends for a while first, it seemed too much for me after what she had been through. I do know they were friends for a short time first and he visited her with his dog but there wasn't anything overwhelming and connecting about it to make me believe they had actually fallen in love and was happy.
3. And then there was Nick, I know he wasn't a bad guy, but I just couldn't find myself liking him at all, even though I tried to. I think this is because the author didn't really go into detail of what he had went through to make us understand everything.
4. Like I said earlier the story had good premise, but for me I would of liked more detail of everything, particularly of what she had been through, about what she had been through with both guys, about what her family had been through while she was gone, for me it felt as though a lot of important details were missed out.
Although I liked this book and enjoyed reading it, as you can see a lot didn't do it for me. I think the only reason I gave 3 stars was from the sample as after reading that I thought it sounded great and was going to be one of my favourite books, however that just didn't happen and the story seemed rushed and anticlimactic, leaving me disappointed. However even though it wasn't one of my all time favourites doesn't mean it won't be anyone else's, and if you enjoy short reads this could be for you.
July 15, 2015
Ehh
No angst. No flutters. No nail biting. Most importantly no connection. I felt more of a connection with Christie and Nick than Christabelle and Dean, which seemed more of convenience. There was no spark there.
I also couldn't associate with Christabelles' encounter of captivity and escape. None of it seemed genuine or scary to me.
There was no heartfelt feelings or emotions aside from the ones attached to the loss of Nick before and after. Nick is a total asshat. A
I realized as I was reading this book that j read Nick and Harpers book a while ago and I didn't care for that either.
No angst. No flutters. No nail biting. Most importantly no connection. I felt more of a connection with Christie and Nick than Christabelle and Dean, which seemed more of convenience. There was no spark there.
I also couldn't associate with Christabelles' encounter of captivity and escape. None of it seemed genuine or scary to me.
There was no heartfelt feelings or emotions aside from the ones attached to the loss of Nick before and after. Nick is a total asshat. A
I realized as I was reading this book that j read Nick and Harpers book a while ago and I didn't care for that either.
June 15, 2015
4.5 alive stars
This book reads like a beautiful second book to something the author never wrote and I think it's because this author can write her heart out. This is a book about what happens when the two main characters die but come back and leads completely separate lives
More to come
This book reads like a beautiful second book to something the author never wrote and I think it's because this author can write her heart out. This is a book about what happens when the two main characters die but come back and leads completely separate lives
More to come
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2015
Christabelle Jayne receives the knock on the door from a uniformed soldier and her world begins to spiral. Her childhood friend and the love of her life was gone. Christie's life was about to take another tumble down an even darker path, when on a walk to get some air late at night she feels an incredible sting. She swats at the offending insect only to find instead a strange orange dart. Panic sets in and before she can scramble away from the hooded man approaching her with gun in hand, she starts to succumb to the darts' effects, limbs going numb, her mind scrambling for coherance. The last thing she sees is an image of her recently deceased husband Nick. "I'll see you soon, babe."
Christie had been a sight to see back then. High school cheerleader, beautiful, with a spark of life in her that no wind could blow out. Her disappearance rocked the small town of Warfields, Missouri 17 months ago. Now she was a haunted shell of a young woman. She'd crawled out on her hands and knees from the forest behind her towards the gas station. Christie was home now ... or was she? Her younger sister Amber told Officer Dean Hawking, a former classmate of Christie's, "No Dean. She's back ... but she's not back, you know?"
Dean had his own heartbreak before returning to Warfields. While in New York, he'd gotten romantically involved with a fellow female officer a while back and she was killed in the line of duty at the scene of a domestic disturbance.
Through patience, a love that never left his heart, and a furry friend named King, Dean attempted to bring Christie back to the living from the hell she seemed bound to. Constant triggers, nightmares and ghosts from her past make getting on with life difficult. Christie hasn't told anyone what happened to her while she was held captive, his motives, what she endured, how she escaped. Instead she keeps it bottled up inside. Without much for the FBI to go on, he remains out there ... somewhere.
I received this as an ARC from Emma South in exchange for an honest review. I read "The Last Thing You See" previous to this so I knew Emma was quite a writer. I really loved this book. It had a steady build to it, tied in nicely with "The Last Thing You See," had plenty of suspense, a fabulous HEA and had me in tears at the end. Happy tears, not sad ones.
Christie had been a sight to see back then. High school cheerleader, beautiful, with a spark of life in her that no wind could blow out. Her disappearance rocked the small town of Warfields, Missouri 17 months ago. Now she was a haunted shell of a young woman. She'd crawled out on her hands and knees from the forest behind her towards the gas station. Christie was home now ... or was she? Her younger sister Amber told Officer Dean Hawking, a former classmate of Christie's, "No Dean. She's back ... but she's not back, you know?"
Dean had his own heartbreak before returning to Warfields. While in New York, he'd gotten romantically involved with a fellow female officer a while back and she was killed in the line of duty at the scene of a domestic disturbance.
Through patience, a love that never left his heart, and a furry friend named King, Dean attempted to bring Christie back to the living from the hell she seemed bound to. Constant triggers, nightmares and ghosts from her past make getting on with life difficult. Christie hasn't told anyone what happened to her while she was held captive, his motives, what she endured, how she escaped. Instead she keeps it bottled up inside. Without much for the FBI to go on, he remains out there ... somewhere.
I received this as an ARC from Emma South in exchange for an honest review. I read "The Last Thing You See" previous to this so I knew Emma was quite a writer. I really loved this book. It had a steady build to it, tied in nicely with "The Last Thing You See," had plenty of suspense, a fabulous HEA and had me in tears at the end. Happy tears, not sad ones.
June 11, 2015
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
When I fist started this book I couldn't remember what it was all about but could not put it down. When you start this book out it you find that it is written in the past and in the present you will need to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapter to remember what you are on. Now saying that this book starts out with Christabelle Jayne grieving over the loss of her long time boyfriend who she has just been told has died while fighting in the military oversea. When Christi comes home she doesn't know how to handle all of the grief she is feeling and just wants to take a walk. That walk turns into her abduction and 18 month captivity.
In the first couple of chapters we meet a guy named Dean. Now Dean is on the local police force and use to be the star quarterback for this town back when he was in high school. So he knows Christi and just like all the rest of the town always wondered what really happened to her.
This is a story about love, loss, and survival. You will laugh at parts, you will want tissues in others. I want to tell you so much more about this book but as a reader I really want you to experience it all for yourself. This is a must read book you will not be able to put it down.
When I fist started this book I couldn't remember what it was all about but could not put it down. When you start this book out it you find that it is written in the past and in the present you will need to pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapter to remember what you are on. Now saying that this book starts out with Christabelle Jayne grieving over the loss of her long time boyfriend who she has just been told has died while fighting in the military oversea. When Christi comes home she doesn't know how to handle all of the grief she is feeling and just wants to take a walk. That walk turns into her abduction and 18 month captivity.
In the first couple of chapters we meet a guy named Dean. Now Dean is on the local police force and use to be the star quarterback for this town back when he was in high school. So he knows Christi and just like all the rest of the town always wondered what really happened to her.
This is a story about love, loss, and survival. You will laugh at parts, you will want tissues in others. I want to tell you so much more about this book but as a reader I really want you to experience it all for yourself. This is a must read book you will not be able to put it down.
June 23, 2015
Wow just WOW. This was a wonderful book that pulled me in and didn't let me go until the very end. I couldn't put it down, I had to know what happened next.
I think I cried about 80-90% of the book, that's how much it pulled me in and made me feel! It is a happy book but such a sad book at the same time and the suspense kept me hooked.
Christabelle escaped most certainly death, only to find that once she was free, she wasn't the same person and wasn't sure she could ever be that same person again.
Dean has always loved Christabelle, has always wanted her and knows that now that Christabelle is back, its his only chance.
What these two go through to get Christabelle to feel alive again is wonderful, and so heartfelt it made me feel all mushy.
The book didn't feel rushed and it didn't go by slowly, it had a wonderful pace all the way through that never gives you a chance to put the book down. If you love suspense, new adult with a bit of romance, then this is the right book for you. Its an easy read that just flows.
*I was gifted a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I think I cried about 80-90% of the book, that's how much it pulled me in and made me feel! It is a happy book but such a sad book at the same time and the suspense kept me hooked.
Christabelle escaped most certainly death, only to find that once she was free, she wasn't the same person and wasn't sure she could ever be that same person again.
Dean has always loved Christabelle, has always wanted her and knows that now that Christabelle is back, its his only chance.
What these two go through to get Christabelle to feel alive again is wonderful, and so heartfelt it made me feel all mushy.
The book didn't feel rushed and it didn't go by slowly, it had a wonderful pace all the way through that never gives you a chance to put the book down. If you love suspense, new adult with a bit of romance, then this is the right book for you. Its an easy read that just flows.
*I was gifted a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
July 21, 2015
If this is your first kidnap-escape-rise from the dark read then I almost guarantee you'll love this.
This isn't my first though...
It had the makings of a good gritty and strive for LIFE type of read. Too many things were quickly found out and shown. The grueling life she was put in was never truly given to the reader. I won't even go into the fall fast for the almost perfect character … oh he could have been such a saving grace.
The more we feel like we are literally there with the characters the more that book will affect us. If I can't feel her fear and scared out of her mind, or her pain or even FALLING it's just letters and words.
I was taken by the blurb and instantly clicked and started reading. Even after getting half way through already knowing all the above, I kept at it, hoping. Eager wishing for that OMG moment that got me.
This isn't my first though...
It had the makings of a good gritty and strive for LIFE type of read. Too many things were quickly found out and shown. The grueling life she was put in was never truly given to the reader. I won't even go into the fall fast for the almost perfect character … oh he could have been such a saving grace.
The more we feel like we are literally there with the characters the more that book will affect us. If I can't feel her fear and scared out of her mind, or her pain or even FALLING it's just letters and words.
I was taken by the blurb and instantly clicked and started reading. Even after getting half way through already knowing all the above, I kept at it, hoping. Eager wishing for that OMG moment that got me.
June 21, 2016
I got this book for free on Kindle, and it was pretty good. I'm glad I didn't pay for it, but I enjoyed the book enough to read it through to the end. It's the story of how Christie overcomes a brutal abduction and pieces her life back together, with help from a former high school admirer. It kept my attention and I wanted to know what would happen next.
June 24, 2015
Read for honest review. This book was so wonderfully written. I cried so much for her loss and hopelessness. She felt like she lost everything time and again. But one person would not give up. It was amazing. You have to read it.
June 27, 2015
Coming back was a great read of a woman who survived a lot of heart ache. Christie was strong all around with the love and help of Dean. Boy was Dean a patient man. I recommend this book.
dnf
July 5, 2016dnfing for now. Might try this again later.
February 22, 2016
Nice reading for a free kindle story.
I didn't really like the end of the book about the abductor and all, so 3 stars, but there is a nice developpment in the caracters.
I didn't really like the end of the book about the abductor and all, so 3 stars, but there is a nice developpment in the caracters.
April 27, 2020
Old School
This book was just great and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.As I said in another review I'm going old school and I mean old school.I got this book in 2015 when I got my first Kindle and I can't believe I let this book sit for so long but I'm getting around to reading books I've had for a while,if every book I pick is as good as this one I may never sleep again.If you have books you put off reading because something better came along,think again you might have a diamond in the rough like coming back,if not pick it up you can't go wrong. HAPPY READING EVERYONE.
This book was just great and I mean it from the bottom of my heart.As I said in another review I'm going old school and I mean old school.I got this book in 2015 when I got my first Kindle and I can't believe I let this book sit for so long but I'm getting around to reading books I've had for a while,if every book I pick is as good as this one I may never sleep again.If you have books you put off reading because something better came along,think again you might have a diamond in the rough like coming back,if not pick it up you can't go wrong. HAPPY READING EVERYONE.
June 10, 2022
This book held my attention and moved along at a nice pace. It was well-written and had a nice air of mystery to it. I loved the character’s determination and will to fight. I also liked the supporting characters who allowed her to be what she needed to be and showed her strengths instead of holding her back. This was a nice story and I’m glad I read it.
May 26, 2017
It wasn't horrible, but some things did leave me scratching my head. All the parts about the kidnapping and its after effects were really well done, but were was the romance. Maybe that part happened only in the authors mind.
So for the the part that I did like I am giving this book 3 stars.
So for the the part that I did like I am giving this book 3 stars.
December 8, 2018
I skimmed the last third of it. I think it could have been a lot better written.
August 30, 2019
Very Good Story!!
This was a good story. I wish there was a sequel to this book. Nick and Christabelle’s story did not get to be told fully....
This was a good story. I wish there was a sequel to this book. Nick and Christabelle’s story did not get to be told fully....
May 21, 2016
couldn't put it down. A very emotion churning story - in a good way!
I’m not a professional reviewer and sometimes it’s hard for me to express all the things I feel about a book after I’ve read it. This is one of those times…
The story is told in alternating POVs (points of view); some Christie’s, some Dean’s. It also goes back and forth between BEFORE and AFTER. BEFORE is during Christie’s captivity and AFTER is what happens after she escapes.
Just a short time before Christie is abducted she found out that the love of her life, Nick, was killed in action. She has moved back in with her parents and is having trouble getting on with her life.
After Christie is found alive she, understandably, has a lot of trouble adjusting. Officer Dean Hawking knew Christie when they were in high school; he was in love with her then but she only had eyes for Nick. Dean wants to help Christie get her life back and she slowly begins to trust him and feel more normal.
I love the way this story unfolds. It covers quite a bit of time – from January 2012 to August 2015 – and the details of Christie’s ordeal while she was abducted unfold slowly (in a good way). Emma gives you bits and pieces and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. There were quite a few surprises in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
This book is connected to The Last Thing You See, another book by Emma South, but you don’t need to have read that story to understand this one. It’s a great book, though, so you won’t be sorry if you read it, too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
I couldn't put it down. A very emotion churning story - in a good way!
I’m not a professional reviewer and sometimes it’s hard for me to express all the things I feel about a book after I’ve read it. This is one of those times…
The story is told in alternating POVs (points of view); some Christie’s, some Dean’s. It also goes back and forth between BEFORE and AFTER. BEFORE is during Christie’s captivity and AFTER is what happens after she escapes.
Just a short time before Christie is abducted she found out that the love of her life, Nick, was killed in action. She has moved back in with her parents and is having trouble getting on with her life.
After Christie is found alive she, understandably, has a lot of trouble adjusting. Officer Dean Hawking knew Christie when they were in high school; he was in love with her then but she only had eyes for Nick. Dean wants to help Christie get her life back and she slowly begins to trust him and feel more normal.
I love the way this story unfolds. It covers quite a bit of time – from January 2012 to August 2015 – and the details of Christie’s ordeal while she was abducted unfold slowly (in a good way). Emma gives you bits and pieces and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. There were quite a few surprises in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
This book is connected to The Last Thing You See, another book by Emma South, but you don’t need to have read that story to understand this one. It’s a great book, though, so you won’t be sorry if you read it, too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not a professional reviewer and sometimes it’s hard for me to express all the things I feel about a book after I’ve read it. This is one of those times…
The story is told in alternating POVs (points of view); some Christie’s, some Dean’s. It also goes back and forth between BEFORE and AFTER. BEFORE is during Christie’s captivity and AFTER is what happens after she escapes.
Just a short time before Christie is abducted she found out that the love of her life, Nick, was killed in action. She has moved back in with her parents and is having trouble getting on with her life.
After Christie is found alive she, understandably, has a lot of trouble adjusting. Officer Dean Hawking knew Christie when they were in high school; he was in love with her then but she only had eyes for Nick. Dean wants to help Christie get her life back and she slowly begins to trust him and feel more normal.
I love the way this story unfolds. It covers quite a bit of time – from January 2012 to August 2015 – and the details of Christie’s ordeal while she was abducted unfold slowly (in a good way). Emma gives you bits and pieces and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. There were quite a few surprises in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
This book is connected to The Last Thing You See, another book by Emma South, but you don’t need to have read that story to understand this one. It’s a great book, though, so you won’t be sorry if you read it, too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Merged review:
I couldn't put it down. A very emotion churning story - in a good way!
I’m not a professional reviewer and sometimes it’s hard for me to express all the things I feel about a book after I’ve read it. This is one of those times…
The story is told in alternating POVs (points of view); some Christie’s, some Dean’s. It also goes back and forth between BEFORE and AFTER. BEFORE is during Christie’s captivity and AFTER is what happens after she escapes.
Just a short time before Christie is abducted she found out that the love of her life, Nick, was killed in action. She has moved back in with her parents and is having trouble getting on with her life.
After Christie is found alive she, understandably, has a lot of trouble adjusting. Officer Dean Hawking knew Christie when they were in high school; he was in love with her then but she only had eyes for Nick. Dean wants to help Christie get her life back and she slowly begins to trust him and feel more normal.
I love the way this story unfolds. It covers quite a bit of time – from January 2012 to August 2015 – and the details of Christie’s ordeal while she was abducted unfold slowly (in a good way). Emma gives you bits and pieces and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. There were quite a few surprises in this story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
This book is connected to The Last Thing You See, another book by Emma South, but you don’t need to have read that story to understand this one. It’s a great book, though, so you won’t be sorry if you read it, too.
I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2016
To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.homelovebooks.com
This book was seriously heartbreaking from beginning to end. I kind of knew it was going to be that way going in, especially because the book blurb tells you up front that Christie was kidnapped and years later she shows up crawling out of the woods. Let's just say I was fully prepared for her to be all kinds of a mess. But honestly, it wasn't just Christie who made the book heartbreaking, it was all the people in her life, how different things were for all of them. I mean they are all obviously so happy that she is alive and back, but there is a lot of mixed emotions going on in this book, and my heart broke for all the characters.
So at the beginning of the book Christie shows up after being kidnaped, and following her in the initial days and weeks after being back at home was just hard. Anyone would be damaged by what happened to her, so it was completely understandable that she has a lot of things to kind of get past when it comes to dealing with the events of what happened. But another thing that made it hard for her was seeing how much everyone had moved on, I mean life doesn't stop, I get that, but the life Christie remembers is just gone, the man she loves is different, her friends are different, her family is different. They all had to deal with her kidnapping and that changed who they are as people, and then life went on, and I think that is hard for Christie. You can tell that she really wants to be better, to just live life, but for her one of the things that is hardest for her is how everyone kind of treats her a little differently.
Enter Dean, I think the reason why Dean is able to reach her so much is because he treats Christie completely normal, and he is so patient with her. I loved that he kind of uses his dog as an opening with her, just allowing her to open up at her own pace, never really pressuring her, but always being available. I could totally understand how Christie came to rely on Dean, he really gave her an outlet to just kind of be herself, and he totally helped her with her healing. That being said, I thought the romance aspect of their relationship came on a little fast. I get that they had a bond from a very highly stressful life event, but still the romance was too fast and the love aspect was way to fast for me.
There was kind of a mystery element to this book at well, trying to figure out what had happened to Christie. Was she still in danger? Who was the person who took her? I liked that who did it aspect of the book. I also thought the writing in the book was pretty good too, I liked how the author was able to shift from POV and from the past without it ever becoming confusing for the reader. I would definitely be willing to try out some of Emma South's other works too.
This book was seriously heartbreaking from beginning to end. I kind of knew it was going to be that way going in, especially because the book blurb tells you up front that Christie was kidnapped and years later she shows up crawling out of the woods. Let's just say I was fully prepared for her to be all kinds of a mess. But honestly, it wasn't just Christie who made the book heartbreaking, it was all the people in her life, how different things were for all of them. I mean they are all obviously so happy that she is alive and back, but there is a lot of mixed emotions going on in this book, and my heart broke for all the characters.
So at the beginning of the book Christie shows up after being kidnaped, and following her in the initial days and weeks after being back at home was just hard. Anyone would be damaged by what happened to her, so it was completely understandable that she has a lot of things to kind of get past when it comes to dealing with the events of what happened. But another thing that made it hard for her was seeing how much everyone had moved on, I mean life doesn't stop, I get that, but the life Christie remembers is just gone, the man she loves is different, her friends are different, her family is different. They all had to deal with her kidnapping and that changed who they are as people, and then life went on, and I think that is hard for Christie. You can tell that she really wants to be better, to just live life, but for her one of the things that is hardest for her is how everyone kind of treats her a little differently.
Enter Dean, I think the reason why Dean is able to reach her so much is because he treats Christie completely normal, and he is so patient with her. I loved that he kind of uses his dog as an opening with her, just allowing her to open up at her own pace, never really pressuring her, but always being available. I could totally understand how Christie came to rely on Dean, he really gave her an outlet to just kind of be herself, and he totally helped her with her healing. That being said, I thought the romance aspect of their relationship came on a little fast. I get that they had a bond from a very highly stressful life event, but still the romance was too fast and the love aspect was way to fast for me.
There was kind of a mystery element to this book at well, trying to figure out what had happened to Christie. Was she still in danger? Who was the person who took her? I liked that who did it aspect of the book. I also thought the writing in the book was pretty good too, I liked how the author was able to shift from POV and from the past without it ever becoming confusing for the reader. I would definitely be willing to try out some of Emma South's other works too.
April 24, 2016
This was such an beautiful emotional story about survival and learning to trust, love and live again. This was written in alternating POV as well as going back and forth in time from before her abduction to the present but was done so seamlessly that it just made these rather difficult subject matter easier to digest.
Christabelle Jayne was in a terrible emotional state when she was abducted, her first and only true love had been killed in action and she had moved back in with her parents as they tried to help her through this devastating loss. When she goes out for a walk one evening by herself in her small hometown she never returns. Her family after some time has her declared dead and have a memorial for her and everyone moves on with their life. But then twenty one months later she is found crawling out of a forest bloodied and cut. Everyone is astonished and happy, but Christabelle is no longer the same bright, beautiful, fun loving person that she was before and she is having trouble adjusting.
Officer Dean Hawking's is one of the first one to see Christabelle when she is welcomed home and he is also assigned to protect her and her family. But Dean has a secret, he has loved Christie since they were in high school together, except he didn't have a chance back then because she had eyes only for Nick. Dean has returned to his home town after his own tragedy of loss and he wants to help Christie get her life back. Slowly over time Christie starts to see beauty in things again. But when Dean thinks Christie is in danger will he be ready for the secrets that may come out? Will they get a HEA?
This story takes you on a journey through terrible tragedies, with twists and turns that you will not see coming. But it also is a beautiful romance that helps Christie feel beautiful and loved again. It shows just how strong and resilient the human spirit can be. This is Deeply emotional, heartbreaking and poignant. It makes you realize the importance of living every moment with no regrets, loving passionately and taking the time to truly enjoy life with the ones you love. I could not stop reading this story it captured my attention as well as my heart. LOVED IT! I highly recommend this beautiful, heartbreaking, romance.
Received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Christabelle Jayne was in a terrible emotional state when she was abducted, her first and only true love had been killed in action and she had moved back in with her parents as they tried to help her through this devastating loss. When she goes out for a walk one evening by herself in her small hometown she never returns. Her family after some time has her declared dead and have a memorial for her and everyone moves on with their life. But then twenty one months later she is found crawling out of a forest bloodied and cut. Everyone is astonished and happy, but Christabelle is no longer the same bright, beautiful, fun loving person that she was before and she is having trouble adjusting.
Officer Dean Hawking's is one of the first one to see Christabelle when she is welcomed home and he is also assigned to protect her and her family. But Dean has a secret, he has loved Christie since they were in high school together, except he didn't have a chance back then because she had eyes only for Nick. Dean has returned to his home town after his own tragedy of loss and he wants to help Christie get her life back. Slowly over time Christie starts to see beauty in things again. But when Dean thinks Christie is in danger will he be ready for the secrets that may come out? Will they get a HEA?
This story takes you on a journey through terrible tragedies, with twists and turns that you will not see coming. But it also is a beautiful romance that helps Christie feel beautiful and loved again. It shows just how strong and resilient the human spirit can be. This is Deeply emotional, heartbreaking and poignant. It makes you realize the importance of living every moment with no regrets, loving passionately and taking the time to truly enjoy life with the ones you love. I could not stop reading this story it captured my attention as well as my heart. LOVED IT! I highly recommend this beautiful, heartbreaking, romance.
Received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
June 20, 2015
4 1/2 stars
I was completely blown away with the way this story was written. I haven't read anything quite like this before.
Christie is kidnapped from the small town she has lived in her entire life. After some amount of time, with no new leads, there's a memorial service and the town says goodbye. One day she emerges from the woods, and this book is her story on how she learns to live and love again - not only others, but also herself. No one acts the same around her as they did before her disappearance. Everyone seems to walk on egg shells so as not to upset her. Unfortunately, this has the opposite effect of what their intentions actually are. Dean can't stand the far away/withdrawn/empty look in her eyes and he has the idea to bring his dog (King) to visit with Christie in an effort to engage her with the hope of at least a smile. The two of them (Dean and King) begin to make regular appearances to Christie's home which ultimately leads to Dean and Christie becoming closer and actually talking about what happened during her absence.
This is a very compelling read. The characters were well thought out and will stay with me for some time. Christie's nightmares were so real, I was actually frightened for her several times. King's interactions and affection of Christie tugged at my heart and I swear I could even feel him breathing in a couple scenes. The comfort and safety she was able to find with Dean touched my soul. The closure she was able to achieve with her past (both with her captor as well as what happened with her friends and family while in captivity) actually made ME feel whole.
What would have pushed it over the top for me? Dean's character needed a little more somewhere. He's been in love with Christie since high school. We get the emotion from him when he tells her this. We also get it when he shares part of his past with Christie, but I just needed a little more of that for him to seem real rather than fictional.
I would highly recommend this read. You won't be disappointed.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was completely blown away with the way this story was written. I haven't read anything quite like this before.
Christie is kidnapped from the small town she has lived in her entire life. After some amount of time, with no new leads, there's a memorial service and the town says goodbye. One day she emerges from the woods, and this book is her story on how she learns to live and love again - not only others, but also herself. No one acts the same around her as they did before her disappearance. Everyone seems to walk on egg shells so as not to upset her. Unfortunately, this has the opposite effect of what their intentions actually are. Dean can't stand the far away/withdrawn/empty look in her eyes and he has the idea to bring his dog (King) to visit with Christie in an effort to engage her with the hope of at least a smile. The two of them (Dean and King) begin to make regular appearances to Christie's home which ultimately leads to Dean and Christie becoming closer and actually talking about what happened during her absence.
This is a very compelling read. The characters were well thought out and will stay with me for some time. Christie's nightmares were so real, I was actually frightened for her several times. King's interactions and affection of Christie tugged at my heart and I swear I could even feel him breathing in a couple scenes. The comfort and safety she was able to find with Dean touched my soul. The closure she was able to achieve with her past (both with her captor as well as what happened with her friends and family while in captivity) actually made ME feel whole.
What would have pushed it over the top for me? Dean's character needed a little more somewhere. He's been in love with Christie since high school. We get the emotion from him when he tells her this. We also get it when he shares part of his past with Christie, but I just needed a little more of that for him to seem real rather than fictional.
I would highly recommend this read. You won't be disappointed.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2015
A Review of Coming Back by Emma South
Can a second chance at love heal a broken woman? -- 5++++ stars
With all the snippets I read, it is sometimes hard to remember what a particular story is about when you get an advanced copy without the blurb. However, from the first page of this book, Emma had me hooked with a story that was so compelling that I could not put it down until I finished it.
Christie was already in a world of hurt and anger when she was abducted. Emma fully develops the characters, which makes it feel like you know them. Dean has been carrying a torch for Christie since they were in high school together, and considered her the one that got away, since she and Nick were so good together. Can he help her overcome her past and move on with him into a new future?
Although we learn a lot about what happened to Christie, Emma went about telling her story in a way that did not 'glorify' the brutality of her ordeal, but gave us enough insight into what happened that we shiver from the complete evil that exists in this world. There were a lot of twists and turns on this roller coaster ride, but it was well worth the time to read it. And, I think it ended with just enough of a tease to make me wonder what the next book will be about. I have to admit, I'm wondering about what is going on with Amber and this all expenses paid trip she won. How did she win it. Is it legit? So many questions that are running through my head because I really like Amber's snarky attitude and I would like to see her get her own story, but maybe not one with violence.
There were so many parts of this book that made me cry (the ugly tears at that), but I felt a lot of happiness as well. I guess, to me, that's what makes an awesome book - it makes you FEEL.
***BTW, I plan on going back and reading Nick's book since I somehow missed it.
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**Complimentary Copy provided by Author for an honest review.**
Can a second chance at love heal a broken woman? -- 5++++ stars
With all the snippets I read, it is sometimes hard to remember what a particular story is about when you get an advanced copy without the blurb. However, from the first page of this book, Emma had me hooked with a story that was so compelling that I could not put it down until I finished it.
Christie was already in a world of hurt and anger when she was abducted. Emma fully develops the characters, which makes it feel like you know them. Dean has been carrying a torch for Christie since they were in high school together, and considered her the one that got away, since she and Nick were so good together. Can he help her overcome her past and move on with him into a new future?
Although we learn a lot about what happened to Christie, Emma went about telling her story in a way that did not 'glorify' the brutality of her ordeal, but gave us enough insight into what happened that we shiver from the complete evil that exists in this world. There were a lot of twists and turns on this roller coaster ride, but it was well worth the time to read it. And, I think it ended with just enough of a tease to make me wonder what the next book will be about. I have to admit, I'm wondering about what is going on with Amber and this all expenses paid trip she won. How did she win it. Is it legit? So many questions that are running through my head because I really like Amber's snarky attitude and I would like to see her get her own story, but maybe not one with violence.
There were so many parts of this book that made me cry (the ugly tears at that), but I felt a lot of happiness as well. I guess, to me, that's what makes an awesome book - it makes you FEEL.
***BTW, I plan on going back and reading Nick's book since I somehow missed it.
**********
**Complimentary Copy provided by Author for an honest review.**
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