On the cusp of adulthood, Aurora met tragedy and darkness in a horrifying car crash. Death snatched her mom and sister away, destroying her family in a heartbeat. In its wake, it left her alive, but barely living; her only means of surviving includes copious amounts of Percocet and Xanax.
Terrified of stepping beyond her backyard, the broken-hearted and physically damaged nineteen-year-old doesn’t need anyone, anyway. Until she meets him.
Shy and smoking hot, Nate is hooked by Aurora’s sarcastic wit and curious about her fear. A man on a mission, he wants to help her overcome the issues chaining her to a mediocre life. He needs to, if he’s ever going to have her as part of his world – a passion he keeps hidden from her. If he succeeds with the impossible goal, he’ll cure more than just her PTSD, he’ll heal her heart.
But when her fears collide with his passion, it drives Aurora away. Can she face her fears head on? Or is the damage irreparable?
Duly Noted is a New Adult romance dealing with PTSD and drug addiction.
H.M. Shander is an award winning and USA TODAY bestselling author who is a hopeless romantic and lover of chocolate, coconut and a damn good cup of coffee.
She's the author of several reader's choice books (Bronze medal for Return to Cheshire Bay and the Gold Medal for Living La Vida Mocha). An upcoming release was also a Kobo Writing Life finalist - so watch for that to release soon. She writes swoon-worthy, gentle beta heroes, in sweet or steamy storylines that all end with a happily ever after.
When not writing, she is a part-time librarian and Educational Assistant to a group of kindergartens, a devoted mother to her two kids, and believes she's married the sweetest man and the greatest inspiration for her heroes.
I can say only two good things about Duly Noted. The first one is Nate. He is sweet, nice, understanding and he wants to help Aurora to get over her fear of cars. He doesn't give up and that's why I like him. The second one is Aurora's determination to fight with her fear. I was amazed how did she handle . But that's all.
I hate Aurora. I hate how she treat with her dad. Actually I hate her behaviour in general. I get it - it is difficul to live with PTSD, but she makes herself a victim in every way possible. Even when she tried so hard to overcome her fear, I didn't find any connection with her.
The story was good, a little bit predictable. I would appreciate more detailed scenes because few passages were too short in my opinion. Also would be nice more funny/sarcastic answers from Aurora's side to Nate. He said few good sentences on which she could react in funny way, not so seriously. Also
I didn't like Duly Noted as I thought I will and I was struggling to finish reading this book.
*** I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed reading this book. You get a different view of PTSD and addiction and it really opens your eyes on how a traumatic event can affect someone. I just love Aurora's witty comebacks, cursing like a sailor and her sarcasm.
I'm going to defend this character, since I believe most are expecting rainbows and ponies and the perfect, happy-go-lucky MC. I've read that some readers have a hard time connecting with Aurora and they don't like her character at all. But I think the book really shines light on the darker side of addiction. Aurora is not perfect, she certainly is annoying and bratty, especially her attitude towards others and her excessive use of meds is a reflection of what addiction is really like. Most people don't realize they have a problem and/or use their trauma as an excuse to behave a certain way. There are plenty of people who are suffering, but you don't always know it. Who are we to judge? Everyone copes differently and you don't always know their story. In this book, Aurora truly believed there's nothing wrong staying in her comfort zone until Nate made her realize there is more to living than just staying in her bubble.
This really delves into someone's mental and physical state after a traumatic experience and loss of loved ones, how it affects people differently, and how each cope differently. Overall, this was a great story showing Aurora's struggles with her PTSD and addiction and how the love and support from her best friend, father and Nate can help her. Never give up on those who really need your love and support.
I thought I'd like this book much more.. It was a good read, but some things disappointed me.
SYNOPSIS: PTSD sucks. Just ask Aurora. She’s dealt with it for the past two years. Effing car crash.
Resigned to live a mediocre life, she’s coped all on her own with only her friends Percocet and Xanax along for the ride. Broken and damaged, she doesn’t need anyone, thank you very much. Until she meets him.
Shy but smoking hot, Nate Johnson has a mouth as smart as hers, and can handle every ounce of sass she dishes out. Immediately, he’s hooked by Aurora’s sarcastic wit. A man on a mission, he wants to help her over her fear of cars. He needs to, if he’s ever going to have her as part of his world – a passion he’s kept hidden from her. As he succeeds with the impossible goal, he finds he’s curing more than just her PTSD, he’s healing her heart.
But when the unthinkable happens, it drives Aurora away. From him. From them. From the best thing to ever happen to her. Because sometimes love just isn’t enough.
However, Nate wants her back and he’s willing to give up everything he loves for her. Aurora refuses to have him sacrifice his passion because of her, and dreams up a risky plan to stop him. It’s dangerous. It’s foolish. And if it doesn’t kill her first, it could just save them both.
MY OPINIONS:
Even though I'm not the greatest fan of third-person narration, in this book it didn't bother me that much. The writing was good. I liked the story, the idea of overcoming PTSD was amazing, but I think the whole Matthew James affair was absolutely irrelevant for the plot. That is the thing I hated most about the book. That part of the story was frustrating, and Matthew James is such a jerk. The book would've been soo much better without him! I didn't like the fact that the author skipped the last part of the summer in the story and got to September in the blink of an eye, because what happened during that months was soo worthy of telling! I really would've liked to read that part of the story.
Aurora: she is one of the most immature and frustrating main characters I've ever read of. We are the same age, so I should've understood her, but I didn't. Her choices made me scream at the book, because they were so stupid! Ok, you have PTSD, you have lost so much, I completely get that, but that doesn't allow you to be such a bitch! And you can't be the poor little victim everytime you do something wrong. And she is such a horndog!!! Her way of thinking is like this: "Oh poor me! I have PSTD! Sex, sex, sex!!" NO. NO. NO. And, OMG, she has the mouth of a sailor! Her relationship with her dad looks like a relationship between two three-years-old babies: how can a fifty-year-old man be so immature? Unlikely. Aurora atoned just a little bit at the end of the book, but just a little bit; I simply couldn't get myself into liking her.
Nate: He was much more likable than Aurora, but there were some things that didn't make much sense for me. He was sweet, he was cute, he cared about Aurora, and that was okay; but (there's always a but, I think it was clear that he was a male character written by a woman. Sometimes he was a little too much girly for me, and I didn't think he was 22, judging from is behaviour. The whole overcoming-the-PSTD thing was fantastic, and he was amazing in that situation.
All in all, I liked the book, but in my opinion there are some things to work on.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review
Wasn't sure how to start this review. It was an incredible read.
A) I loved NATE - loved, loved, loved him. He is everything you'd want in a perfect book boyfriend, or a real life boyfriend too. He is patient and kind and so full of compassion. The way he handles Aurora is nothing short of a gift. He is meant to be with her, and she needs him to. They are the balance to each other's tipping point.
B) Aurora determination and fears. They felt so real, and although I have no dealings with PTSD, I felt her fear in dealing with her car issues. It was very real to me. SO well done H.M. Shander. I wanted her to succeed in beating it, and I cried with her setbacks. But she never gave up. Never gave in. Never found an easy way out. And her dependancy on prescription drugs. Handled brilliantly, IMO. I had a friend who dealt with it and this was pretty much bang on, sadly.
C) Nates "passion". I'm not going to reveal anything because I think it would be a major spoiler - but it's so freaking sexy I find myself wanting to check out the real life version and see if those men are just as hot as Nate is. Because Nate is HOT. SEXY. HONEST. I love him.
D) The family connections. This too was a major shock for me. Even though he seems aloof, the dad is very much invested in his daughters well being and love the way they finally connected on a deeper level near the end.
E) Okay, I need to know. What is on the poster? Can you just inbox me and tell me? I have some ideas but I want to know if I'm right.
In all, it was a fantastic read. It read very real, and I like that. I want there to be more, especially Nate. And maybe Lucas, cuz he was kind of sweet too.
A few years ago, Aurora was in a terrible car accident. It left her with horrible PTSD, lots of prescribed drugs and no mother or sister to go back to. As she now is afraid of being near cars, she walks everywhere. Her new job in the library is boring, but she does meet an awfully handsome boy, Nate. Slowly, they fall in love. Nate tries to get her over her fear of cars, but he does not mention his own secret hobby...
I really loved this story. Nate is such an awesome character, so loving and good to Aurora. The character development is just so good in this book. I did get annoyed at times by Aurora's sarcastic comments, sometimes it was just a bit too much. All of the characters go through bad times, but they come out so much stronger. The love between Nate and Aurora is realistic I felt so happy when they were together.
However, I don't think the writing was as good as it could've been. Some of the sentences just didn't flow that well and I also noticed that a lot of comma's were missing. This made some parts harder to read, since you have to go back and reread the sentence a couple of times before you actually understand what is said. If I hadn't been that interested in the story, I would've stopped reading because of this. But the story was just too good and it drew me in.
I think PTSD is portrayed realistically in this book, which is a big plus. You clearly get that this illness is not something that is taken lightly, and you really feel for Aurora. But she is a strong willed character and fights for the better.
I would give the story 4.5 stars, but because of the bad writing at times, this book is only rated 3 stars.
So, this book has been on my mind for a while now. Originally I gave it 3 stars because Aurora annoyed me and I thought Nate was a little unrealistic, but the more I think about it, the more I think I was wrong in my 3 star assessment. I still didn't care for Aurora's character, but that's part of who she's supposed to be. I don't want to give too much away, but she's got several serious problems that have made her who she is. And the reality is, people with various psychological problems tend to be annoying if you don't understand their disability. Even if you do, they can be hard to deal with. So I've decided to change my rating to 4 stars. This is a real look into the mind and behavior of someone who has a psychological disturbance. And Nate is still awesomely sexy and too good to be true. I love him.
Original Review - I liked this book. It was a solid read full of very descriptive and colorful paragraphs. My problem was sometimes it was too descriptive and colorful. I often found myself skimming through because it was too much information.
Aurora lived through a horrific accident that she barely escaped and I felt bad for all of her pain and suffering, but I had a very hard time connecting to Aurora. I totally got her fears and pain, but I just didn't connect with her like I've connected with other characters.
Nate was a great book boyfriend. Handsome and kind, he was willing to help Aurora in any way he could. I loved his patience and the loving way he tried to help her.
All in all, I enjoyed this book and absolutely would recommend reading this book.
After reading the blurb, I knew right away this book's for me. I was in the worst reading slump when I started this book, but I think it got me out of my slump so yay me and Aurora and Nate!
This book is easy to read and I think what I love most about this book is how the author handles the topic of PTSD. While I've never experienced PTSD myself, I was able to feel whatever Aurora felt and everything felt so realistic to me. I also loved the family aspect of the book - Aurora and her dad and Nate and his family. The two family relationships are very different, but yet again, they are very realistic and relatable.
While the start of the book is really good, midway through it, I kinda lost interest in the book. In the last few chapters however, the excitement I first had when I began reading the book returned and I was so happy with the ending of the book.
The character that stood out to me the most is probably Nate. Nate is such a great guy in all. I love his personality and his sacrificial attitude and just ahhhh *swoon*. Don't we all wish we have our own Nate now?! Aurora and the other characters are okay, but I don't love them as much as Nate.
This is my first H.M Shander book and definitely won't be my last. I'd recommend this book especially to anyone in reading slumps!
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Aurora has been through a tragic accident that left her mother and sister dead and her body in so much pain she deals with drugs to help calm her. From the accident she also struggles with PTSD with a huge fear of cars. Nate is a normal guy trying to make his away through college and has a passion for cards and racing. Aurora and Nate meet and have a nice banter witty connection. This connection brings them together and has Nate wanting to help Aurora get over her fears. Aurora is content with how her life has been going until Nate swoops in and tries to help her with her fears and problems. Nate makes her see there is more to life and if she wants to experience it she needs to move forward and face her fear because if she doesn't she will lose him.
Unfortunately for me Aurora's character was love/hate. There were times that I liked her but a lot of times when I did not. I know that she went through a lot and dealing with big things but I don't think she handled the situation the best and was a bit immature about some things. I loved Nate. He was so sweet and understanding. He wanted to help Aurora so much and would do anything to help her.
I did enjoy reading this book and it dealt with a lot of strong topics. I would recommend.
I was provided a copy of this by the author in exchange for a review...
I really enjoyed this book! There were a lot of elements to the plot that were very different from other contemporary storylines! That was super refreshing to not have the same type of characters, so thank you for that HM Shander! I adored Nate...like so much! I think the only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars, was the fact that I spent 90% of the book not loving Aurora. I wanted to sympathize with her so badly, but she felt selfish and whiny to me (even though she had obvious reasons to be the way she was), and the fact that she was so self-destructive! you could have seen that coming a mile a way, and I actually put the book down for 2 days because I was trying to spare sweet Nate the heartbreak (as if that works). I'm so happy with the outcome though, and deeply curious about what the poster said! I re-read that page 3 times thinking that I had overlooked it! Ha! thanks for atleast mentioning it in the notes that you left that part out :)
Loved the book and cant wait to read more by this author!
After a tragic car accident claims the life of her mother and sister, Aurora struggles with PTSD, drug abuse and anxiety disorder as she fights a fierce battle to regain control of her life. When she meets a sexy and charming construction worker named Nate, things start to turn around for Aurora as Nate is determined to help Aurora conquer all of her fears. But Nate is harboring a secret that can tear them apart, when Aurora finds out that her biggest fear is tied to what Nate loves most.
Aurora is strong-willed, determined and a fighter. These are qualities that I usually like in a character but I disliked Aurora and couldn't seem to connect with her in this story. On the other hand, Nate is the perfect book boyfriend that I loved from the minute he was introduced to the story. I honestly didn't want these two to end up together because I felt that he was too good for her. I lost interest in their story about halfway through the book but the author did reel me back in at the end with a couple of surprise twists. Overall, I think it was a realistic potrayal of PTSD and a positive example of overcoming adversity.
I saw the blurb for this book and knew I had to read it. Real issues dealing with tragedy, drugs, and healing? Yes please.
It did not disappoint. There were a few moments where character emotions seemed to flip too quickly, and I felt certain portrayals of motivations could have been better, but I loved the story overall. It was refreshingly different enough while still hitting upon those things we know and love about romance and healing stories. I also really appreciated all of the themes explored.
Aurora and Nate were also completely enjoyable. I liked Aurora's prickliness -- and I really sympathized with all of the things she was going through. I also really appreciated the other relationships Aurora had in her life and how important they were, too. Nate's story is also neat - and the twists are awesome!
The writing was good, the story great, and the plotting worked out well. A lovely read.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
I give this book 4 stars. This book was well written and entertaining.
Aurora, in her early twenties and struggling to find her way through life a horrendous accident altered her life forever.
Nate, a somewhat normal guy who has a great family and a real passion for car racing.
Sound perfect until Aurora's fear turns out to be Nate's biggest love and their fledgling relationship seems doomed to fail.
I really enjoyed Nate's character, he was kind, caring and very thoughtful. He was the perfect balance to Aurora's crazy.
I found Aurora's character harder to connect with and she annoyed me at times, Especially with her potty mouth. I didn't enjoy the relationship she had with her dad, and the whole 'black market' drug thing felt very wrong to me. I was pleased that Aurora rehabbed and found better ways to deal with her grief and pain, The ending was good, as I love a HEA.
Wow. This was definitely not what I was expecting. This was a very emotional read. Pulled a lot of different emotions from me. I loved Nate he was very sweet and patient had a strong love for Aurora. He was a Great Book Boyfriend swoon worthy! Aurora has been through so much loss and desperately needs someone, to be there through her grief and help her through coping. I don't like to read any type of cheating it really puts a ugly mark and can ruin a book for me. However, I know that not all happily ever afters come without problems. Like I said this book pulled so much emotion from me I really felt for each of the characters even Mathew. A great read! Such a strong response. This book will stay on my mind for days to come. A story of how to never take anything for-granted, for Hope and a chance at Love. I received a ARC from the author in exchange for a honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read and Reviewed: Aurora has PTSD from a car crash and it consumes her life. She can’t go anywhere unless it’s in walking distance. She works at a library near her house and there she meets Nate who is working construction at the library. Once he discovers her PTSD to cars he comes up with his own “baby steps” method of trying to help her overcome her trauma. Does it work? You’ll have to read to find out.
Although "Duly Noted" was outside my more usual genres of mystery and historical fiction, I found the book an enjoyable read. I realized I was caught up in the story and characters when I kept finding myself thinking of them and wanted to keep getting back to my book... this I'd say is the hallmark of a good read ! It seems some reviewers didn't like Aurora and at times I didn't either...again, the hallmark of a good read ! Not liking a character ( at least at times ) means the author has tapped into the readers emotions. Bravo H.M. !!!
HM Shander crafts amazing characters and heart-wrenching story. The issues of PTSD and prescription drug addiction were spot on and made me yearn for the characters, Aurora and Nate. I loved Nate’s caring and patience as he tries to win Aurora’s heart—who is dealing with her own problems. Duly Noted brought three-dimensional characters together in an addictive heartwarming tale. I highly recommend this sensitive well-written story.
Wow what an amazing book, to read about the struggles of PTSD and prescription drug addiction in such detail was amazing. The love story between Aurora and Nate was one of a kind, he was always there for her and so so calm. Great story to read, was a first to read from H.M Shander but won't be the last.
I enjoyed this book but I'm not a huge fan of Aurora. PTSD is not something to take lightly but ugh... She's a bit too much for me. Nathan has patience like a saint. This is a new to me author.
Stars: 2 Chapters: 41 Length: 308 pgs Tense of Story: Present – First person Genera: New Adult Contemporary Romance POV: Aurora MF / Profession: Aurora – collage student MM / Profession: Nate – construction worker Location: Not mentioned / could not recall
Nate and Aurora are the main characters of the story. Aurora has a difficult time dealing with her PTSD and drug use.
There are more things I disliked about the story than there are things that I did enjoy. I would like to mention that this is by far not my opinion on PTSD, I have no idea what a person with PTSD goes through, weather the symptoms in this story are real or not, my opinion is on the way the characters is described to me in this story.
First a strong female role either makes it or breaks it for me when I read a story and Aurora was no strong female. She is weak and she is whiney.
Second, I loath drug abusers. I knew this was not going to go well, however I was determined to finish the story. I wanted to see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and hoped to heck that the story would get better. Unfortunately for me it did not.
Third, I didn't like the way she spoke with her father, I though she was very ungrateful. I got tired of her crying all the time and he bad decisions with her medication. I just got tired of her. I kept yelling at her to just put on her big girl panties and get over it, move on, she had a great boyfriend that was willing to work with her whiney butt.
I was unable to connect with Aurora and since the story is in her POV, I focused on her role. I will say this, I really liked Nate, I thought he was a great character, nice individual that wanted nothing else but to help Aurora, sometimes though I wonder if there was something going on with him. He was just too focused on helping her get over her issues. For a new relationship to have something this dramatic going on, I thought, man god must have broken a mold when he made Nate.
I finished the story, however it was a struggle. The story was also a times a bit choppy could have used another round of editing.
Received a free copy of this story for an honest review.
I hated Aurora! There, I said it. I hated her with a fiery passion for about 75% of the book. She was annoying, judgmental, and a horrible addict. She played the victim and refused to get the help she so desperately needed. She treated the people she was supposed to care for like crap, and she showed no real regard for anyone else's feelings. And then she did the unthinkable with the worst person in her world, and I was livid. So much so I sent my friend, H.M. Shander, a private message and complained incessantly about how horrible Aurora was.But that's how you know you're reading a good book. When the characters can make you feel, and hers did. I felt annoyed, angry, and down right p!ssed off. But I also fell in love with them, and desperately want to root for them.
Of course H.M. Shander gave nothing away, only telling me to keep reading and to let her know when I was finished, which annoyed me more. I'm sure she was laughing at me too.
As I continued and finally finished I found I no longer hated Aurora, I was proud of her. She overcame so much. She acknowledged her shortcomings and realized that for a while, she basically sucked as a human being. She knew she needed to change, so she did. She made amends, fixed her relationships, and got clean. And I realized, I had to dislike her. I had to hate her in order to see her transformation and to finally come to like her character. She may never be one of my favorite heroines, but she's likable and relatable in the end.
As for Nate, I loved Nate. He was a great hero. Handsome, sexy, loyal, and loving, he was exactly what every woman wants in a man. Patient and kind, he was everything Aurora needed, but she didn't know it. He worked hard for her, to help her and to love her, the problem was, she didn't want to help herself. And yet he kept trying. He imagined a better life for Aurora, a better life than she ever imagined for herself. He didn't give up on her until the day she forced him to, and even then he didn't give up completely. He still talked about her and worried for her. I loved Nate. I loved his personality and everything about him, especially his forgiveness.
I also want to say, I adore Lucas. Completely love him. He was a great character and I think he deserves his own book! (hint, hint, Ms. Shander!)
I really liked this book. It's well written and definitely worth the read. If you can get over Aurora's horrible behavior, you'll find she turns out to be a good heroine. And all I can say about Nate is that he's the perfect man in every way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
H. M. Shander is a new author to me, and I have to say, I’m really glad I checked this book out! The synopsis pulled me in immediately and from that moment, I knew I had to read this book. Duly Noted follows the story of Nate and Aurora. Aurora has been dealing with PTSD for the past 2 years. She’s broken, damaged, resigned to live her life alone and cope anyway that she can. What she didn’t plan on was Nate. Not only is Nate sexy, but he can dish it out and take it just as good as the next person. From the moment he meets Aurora, Nate is hooked on her and makes it his mission to help her out….And somewhere along the way, Nate not only manages to help Aurora get over her fears, but also manages to secure a place inside her heart. However, sometimes love just isn’t enough. Sometimes, secrets do more damage than you expect or anticipate. Just how far will Nate go to win Aurora’s love? What will he be willing to give up? Will Aurora ever find a HEA and live a normal life?
Duly Noted was a really enjoyable read for me. I was intrigued by the story-line and the characters. I am a sucker for broken and damaged characters, so this book was right up my alley. I think the author dealt with the tough issues pretty well and definitely had me wanting more. I really liked Aurora and Nate. Their story took me on one heck of a roller-coaster ride. It had my emotions going all over the place.
Overall, I enjoyed Duly Noted, from start to finish. It was well written and kept my interest the entire time. I thought it had just the right amount of angst, drama and romance. I’m looking forward to checking out more from this author in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*
I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS BOOK FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
So I jumped right into reading and really loved the descriptive writing. I felt like I was there going through every bit of angst and anxiety with Aurora. She is difficult, which I guess is to be expected from a 19 yr old suffering from PTSD. The plot did become predictable and you somehow knew that Aurora was going to get it together by the end.
Overall I really liked the story. It's written well and is a very showing story, not just one that info dumps on you. I like Nate's soft character to Aurora's feisty personality. You can see how well the two work together. Only issue with them is how fast he fell for her, only after a few conversations. A lovely love story, full of anxiety, heartache, and triumph that I wouldn't mind reading again.
Duly Noted by HM Shander was the kind of book that could make your heart sing and then break within a five-page radius. Not kidding. It was an emotional roller coaster for me, but overall, Shander did an amazing job telling Aurora and Nate’s story.
Aurora is a nineteen-year old girl trying to find her way into adulthood after suffering an awful tragedy… and she becomes a pill-popper to deal. Then she meets Nate and slowly opens up to him, realizing that some things are worth fighting for.
What I loved so much about this story was how real it was. While we seldom want to know the dark truths to addiction or PTSD, it’s there lurking. Yeah, there were times I was so angry at Aurora. She made a ton of mistakes, but Shander was true to Aurora’s character and her flaws.
Nate… YUM. I SO wanted to spill how he helps Aurora deal with and overcome her tragedy (because it’s sexy as hell), but ultimately chose to keep it a secret. Now you have to read it! I LOVED him... Nate is awesome. He’s sweet, smart, sexy, and always the collected one—he’s exactly what Aurora needs.
Duly Noted showed a glimpse of what falling in love while dealing with PTSD and overcoming it really looks like, and I so admire Shander for going there. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and look forward to seeing what’s next for Aurora, Nate, and his crew.
“They had taken a damaged bird and helped bring her back to life.” Aurora, 19 years old, is the protagonist in this contemporary romance and as the story unfolds, she has been hurt both physically and mentally from the injuries she suffered in a tragic car accident. She was very close to her mother and sister, and they were both killed in the car crash. Aurora now must face a lonely life, in pain from her injuries and losses, alone, and scarred from PTSD and pain medication addiction. She meets Nate, who seems to be perfect and have it all. But as their relationship deepens, their love is challenged in many ways. There are some strengths in this book that I appreciated. I liked how the author handled the topic of PTSD and medication problems with clarity and openness. I loved the character of Nate. He is a well developed character- good looking, smart and going to university, caring and thoughtful. Even though I felt it was important to spotlight PTSD in a book, I did not like the character of Aurora as well as Nate. She frequently used coarse and profane language. All in all, a good read with some nice passages. “Her head fell, but her hand remained on the door knob. As he shuffled out, she heard his ragged breathing, which further broke her heart.”
Duly Noted is a heartwarming inspirational love story that does not disappoint.
Aurora's life has taken a turn for the worse. Her mother and older sister were recently killed in an automobile accident with Aurora being the only survivor. She did not escape the accident uninjured and has fought to get back on her feet while living with constant pain in her her back and hips. Aurora also has psychological effects from the accident and experiences extreme panic attacks and anxiety that keep her from being able to be near or ride in any type of automobile. Her PTSD has left her with a life that is lonely and a future she seems destined to live alone. This all changes when she meets Nate.
Nate meets Aurora at the library where she works. He is taken with her witty humor and strength. He pushes Aurora to see herself as the beautiful and sexy women he's falling in love with. Nate has a secret he hasn't shared with Aurora and in order to have her in his life he needs her to fight to get over her fears. Will Aurora be able to get past the PTSD and seek the help she needs? Will Nate give up everything to be with Aurora? Read Duly Noted in order to find out. Enjoy!
4.5stars! Wow! It was really pleasant reading. First of all, I liked writing style. It was somewhat soothing, smooth and simple. The story was so sweet and pure. Slow-burn romance, it was exactly my thing. It started with heart-breaking tragedy, it had me in tears. But it was not the only thing that made me shed tears. The emotions, situations, choices also caused heartache. There were many unpredictable developments which made story far more interesting. I think It would be more entertaining if some scenes were more extremely explained. Aurora, the heroine, was so human who was confused and struggling. But she never lost her cuteness and sassiness. Nate, the hero, was awesome. Patient, strong and also very human. I'm glad I could meet great characters. This is my first book of HM Shander, but it won't be last one.
Read and reviewed an ARC copy for an honest review on behalf of Everything Marie http://everythingmarie.com/
Duly Noted! The story of Aurora and Nate- it started off with intensity and emotions that felt so real! Aurora was in a tragic accident and survived with PSTD and a drug abuse problem- Nate a race car driver fell hard for her and was determined to help her through her fears! Let me tell you..... Nate is everyone's fantasy man! Well we all know love does not come easy- and we watch it first hand be torn from their fingertips!!! This story was so well written with detail and so beautiful (until it wasn't and then it was again ;)........ definite must read.... especially to witness first hand true love, friendship, strength and determination and much much more!
Duly Noted! The story of Aurora and Nate- it started off with intensity and emotions that felt so real! Aurora was in a tragic accident and survived with PSTD and a drug abuse problem- Nate a race car driver fell hard for her and was determined to help her through her fears! Let me tell you..... Nate is everyone's fantasy man! Well we all know love does not come easy- and we watch it first hand be torn from their fingertips!!! This story was so well written with detail and so beautiful (until it wasn't and then it was again ;)........ definite must read.... especially to witness first hand true love, friendship, strength and determination and much much more!
This book brought back memories. PTSD is real. A lot of people don't believe it but it happens to a lot of people. This story was well researched on PTSD. I love when a book really sucks you in. This was a great book.
The start of the book is really good. The accident and how Aurora felt about it afterwards is very well described. It got me hooked. But the middle portion drags on, becomes a little tedious for a bit. How Aurora fought PTSD is inspiring. all in all a good book. I would recommend it.