This Love

by Lea Darragh

Forgiveness can be hard—even when it’s the only way to save your life.

When Emmy’s fiancé, Ethan, is killed by a speeding driver on the way to their wedding, she is devastated beyond words. Numb and confused, she withdraws from the world.

Eighteen months later, Emmy has settled herself into the coastal town of Cobbler’s Cove. With satisfying work in a new restaurant, a quiet home by the sea, and friends who pick her up when grief comes back to haunt her, she’s finally daring to dream of a bright future.

That is, until she meets Jack Archer—a worldly chef who draws people to the restaurant. Emmy and Jack have mutual friends and a common goal, but their history could tear them both apart.

When Emmy finds herself falling for Jack, she begins to question her love for Ethan. She’s tortured by the past and scared of the future. Does she have the strength to forgive and move on?

Genres: Romance

180 pages, ebook

First published August 12, 2016

About the author

Lea Darragh was once a dreamer of words and stories, until she decided one day to put her hand to creating a whole new world. Telling stories of hope, desperation, love and loss, Lea has written characters that everyone can relate to at one point or another. Her stories are realistic and cover topics that can be difficult to face. She will never shy away from the difficulties that life throws, and will bravely continue to write about them.

Reviews

[Nikki Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen months after a tragic accident, Emmy and Jack come face to face. Face to face with each other, their demons, and their fragile hold on life. Torn between what they feel they should do and what they feel for each other, Emmy and Jack must decide if they can move on and how. They soon realize that forgiveness can only go so far, but love can take them further.

Lea Darragh takes readers to the land down under, then back up again in this tale of death, life, and love. The main characters are the focus, with just a touch of information of some of the supporting characters. I would love to learn more about Aubrey and Finn especially. I could really understand Emmy and how she was feeling, and I believe I would have reacted the same way she did. That made the story a little more real for me.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our novel starts with tragedy as Emerson aka Emmy is on her way to her wedding when she learns that her fiance Ethan has been in a car crash, rushing into the hospital in her dress she discovers her tragic beginning of what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. The novel then jumps eighteen months into the future where we discover that Emmy has moved away from the city life of Melbourne to a small beaten off-track coastal town called Cobblers Creek which I loved as I am a fan of the smalltowns and have this amazing fantasy about what it would be like to live in one , where everybody knows everyone and you have that closeness that you would never get elsewhere. The places where like me , you have seen them only on TV and the big screen. Emmy moves in and meets Aubrey who becomes her best friend and her husband-to-be Finn. Due to Emmy's background she has been given the task in designing their new restaurant. What Emmy is about to discover though is that Finn's best friend who has been welcomed on board as the new chef as he too needs a fresh start is Jack. Jack was the guy driving the car that hit and killed her husband. That day though not only did Jack kill someone but he also lost someone close to him and that day haunts him for the rest of his life. During the book though we read as Emmy - which by the way I loved her character forgives Jack in order to move on and in doing so starts to see Jack as the person he really is. The person he was before the accident and surprisingly they become close and closer throughout the second half of the novel and then just as soon as everything seems to be falling into place - tragedy strikes again and leaves readers wondering whether Emmy will have a repeat situation with Dr. Campbell and is she cursed forever to have all her loves taken away or is there a silver sliver for her in the clouds of destiny.
Find out in Lea Darragh's new Aussie Fiction novel "This Love".

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This Love” is the latest novel by author, Lea Darragh that release tomorrow! This outstanding novel begins with Emerson’s fiance being killed in a car accident on their wedding day. Eighteen months later she’s moved to Cobbler’s Cove, a small coastal town, living in a beautiful seaside cottage, working as an interior designer, and still trying to put her life back together after Ethan’s death. She’s also dealing with Ethan’s older brother, Adam trying to get her to build a life with him, although she’s never felt that way about him. Her best friends, Aubrey and Finn, have hired Jack Archer to be the head chef at the restaurant they are opening, and that Emerson is designing. Jack is a quiet and tortured soul, but also extremely handsome and talented. They develop and unexpected friendship while trying to help each other heal, which eventually develops into much more. But along with each of their own ghosts from the past haunting them, Emerson also has to come to terms with her feelings and with her relationship with Ethan’s family.

I have never read anything by Lea Darragh before, however, I assure you that this is just the beginning of my reading her novels. This was such an incredible novel that I can’t say enough about it. I should probably start with Emerson, but I can’t… Jack… What can I say about Jack except he is the most adorable, yummy, cute, romantic, honest character ever! Although he’s struggling with enormous feelings of loss and guilt in his life, his quiet charm just pulls you in immediately. Honestly, I just wanted to throw my arms around him from the beginning and assure him that everything will be ok. I loved Emerson also, especially once she started getting her groove back. At first I thought that 18 months was a long time for everyone to still be treating her with kid gloves, but quickly realized that by the time the novel is really starting, she is reaching the point where she is ready to let go and move on, leading to conflicted feelings of confusion and guilt as if she shouldn’t be allowed to move on with her life since Ethan died. Something I admired about Emerson was once she made up her mind to forgive and let go, she didn’t allow anyone else to influence her state of mind. She decided that she wanted and deserved happiness, despite Adam wanting her to either hang on to Ethan’s ghost or be with him. There were times I was frustrated with her and Jack because I really wanted them to be happy and in love, but overall, I loved both characters.

“This Love” is a very quick read and I was very disappointed when it ended because I wanted their story to keep going. Darragh’s writing style flows well and immediately draws you into this story. Her descriptions of the pain each of them feel, their moments together, and of their ocean backdrop will blow you away making you feel as if you’re watching a movie rather than reading. The unique storyline and amazing characters made this a great romance novel!

*I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Love is so much more than a love story- it is a real primer on forgiveness and finding joy again after catastrophe.

The novel opens as Emmy is running into the hospital emergency ward in her wedding gown to learn that her soon to be in a few hours groom, Ethan has died in an automobile accident on the way to the wedding. The prologue deftly captures Emmy's utter despair and grief.

Fast forward 18 months later and Emmy has moved from Melbourne to a small coastal town to rebuild her life and her business. Her friends Finn and Aubrey are having her redesign a new restaurant and event space where the chef will be Jack, the driver of the car that killed Ethan.

Ms. Darragh does an amazing job of considering the professional and personal relationship between Emmy and Jack as well as considering the reactions of Emmy's friends and Ethan's family. There is no black and white defined in those others' feelings not even among one of the most ardent critics, Ethan's brother Adam. Instead, the novel gracefully works through guilt that both Emmy and Jack share as well as anger at circumstances that have resulted from the accident. The depictions of the characters' feelings is so raw and so well-written.

What emerges is one of the most heroic and mature female characters. Emmy has an incredible sophistication and maturity that seems a bit extraordinary given her background and her profound loss. Even more amazing is how long it seems to take her to realize it - even as others most notably her friends, Ethan and his family, and Jack see it. This forgiveness and growth extends the story from a truly beautiful love story to an amazing tale of a young woman's courage, conviction, strength, and determination. Emmy is the heroine that we should all strive to be!

This is a compelling and well-written love story that entails more than just romantic love. I am confident that you could read This Love again and again and glean something wonderful at each reading!

[Jacquie Underdown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Love is a deeply emotional story that explores grief and forgiveness in a unique way. This story tests the boundaries of love by placing the two main characters, Jack and Emmy, in an extremely difficult situation, one that had me questioning what I would do under the same circumstances.

The author, Lea Darragh, skillfully weaved the story, showing me the enormous leap of faith and atonement required before Jack and Emmy could even accept love into their broken hearts. The HEA doesn't comes easily; these characters are tested to their limits, each having to grow in their own way and show such courage before they earn what they both truly deserve.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute pleasure in reading this book. The characters were real and engaging and each individual word painted a picture that continues to paint in my mind. It has been quite a while since I have read a book that is so beautifully written, almost like poetry. I could not recommended this book more highly.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC received through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review*
4 forgiving stars!
This Love is heartbreaking, angsty, and intensely hot. It is a story about forgiving and being forgiven to fully fall in love.

I think the story have a unique plot in the way it brings the villain-to-hero arc to Jack's character although I didn't really think he is a villain at first. I mean I know he is generally a good person and him being a villain was an accident but it happened and I've found myself rooting for him to forgive himself even after Emmy has forgive him.

I am also drawn to Emmy and Jack's love story as I love how they have this same wavelength that only they know how each other is badly grieving and how desperately they search for something to move beyond that phase. It is so beautiful how they found each other in the midst of all that.

Things that makes my heart flutter:
(or in other words, Things that I love about the book)

1. I love how despite everything that happened to Emmy in the past with Jack, she still could find it in her to forgive him and helps him to finally let the past go. It think it is an interesting healing process and it is really believable.

2. That scene at the bed and breakfast is brilliantly written. I like how Jake and Emmy talked about what happened in the past and then really have to struggle their affection towards each other. I love how their their romance were not being forced at that moment and it is also when I can see the glimpse that they could be great together.

3. That first kiss at Emmy's cottage after Adam has left and Jake suddenly came back to her. I was glad that we readers have to wait for awhile for their first kiss but the anticipation is one of the many things that I've enjoyed.

Things that gives me heart attack:
(or in other words, Things that I can live without from the book)

Adam! I know every story perhaps need an antagonist but he really infuriates me. I don't know really know if he really is attracted to Emmy or he feels like he have to honor his late brother either way he makes me cringe every single time when he shows his interest to be with her. And I understand his anger towards Jake but it feels too much but then, I'm glad towards the end he (seems to) finally came to his senses.

Overall I think This Love have a good premise and the book managed to deliver it well. This book is totally suitable to the romance lover who love angsty love story and wants to skewed away from the sweet and fluffy romance.

My review is also posted on my blog:
http://sweetheartreads.blogspot.com/2...

[Anonymisses · Rating 4 out of 5]

* full review at www.anonymisses.com*

Lea Darragh’s “This Love” is a wonderful story of hope and renewal in the aftermath of terrible loss. When her fiance, Ethan, dies tragically in a crash crash on their wedding day, Emmy (short for Emerson) is broken-hearted. In search of peace and healing (and to escape her handsy brother-in-law), Emmy moves from the big city of Melbourne to a coastal town called Cobbler’s Cove. There she slowly regains her strength and determination to live without Ethan. She begins to put her life back together, renting a cottage and taking an interior design job for a restaurant. She develops close friendships with the restaurant’s owners, Aubrey and Finn; the darkest of her days seem to be behind her. But no one can escape the past, and Emmy’s catches up with her in the form of a famous chef and friend of Finn’s who’s hired to draw patrons to the restaurant. In a cruel twist, Emmy discovers that the chef Jack Archer, the same man who was driving the other car in the accident that took Ethan’s life. Emmy and Jack are forced to confront their pain head on, and along with it, their attraction for each other. Eventually, the loss that could have been an obstacle that tore them apart became a source of profound connection between them, and their love flourishes, offering them both a second chance at a happy life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Darragh’s prose is really wonderful, especially compared to many recent books that have a feeling of being churned out in a rush. It flows well and has a kind of lyrical, literary quality that one doesn’t often find in genre fiction. Her descriptions of the characters’ experience of grief and guilt is beautifully done and draw the reader into the story with integrity and sensitivity. The characters are well developed and likable, and, despite the painful circumstances, the book is full of hope and the possibilities of life. I was especially impressed with scenes like the one where Emmy and Jack confront one another for the first time. The emotions seem entirely believable, and the characters are vulnerable and compelling. When they finally fall in love the reader is so happy to see them happy. This is how I want to feel at the end of a romance novel, but I often don’t. Only the best romances produce this kind of feeling. Darragh’s romances is definitely one of the best.

I would recommend this book to most romance readers, especially those who are invested in the interior lives and emotions of the characters and who care about the quality of prose. In general, lovers of contemporary and inspirational (though no necessarily religious) romances should be big fans of this book.

[Lianne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Firstly I'd like to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for sending me an ARC copy of this book.

From having a quick read through the other reviews on here (just page 1), I'm certain that I'll be going against the grain with my review here. So please bear with me.

I want to start by saying that I have read many many ARC books, in various genres and of course some I enjoyed more than others. But even in the cases where I just can't click with a book, I will persevere and finish it because I wanted to review the publication as a whole. And I'm sorry to say that I just couldn't do that with this book. I struggled through 40% of the book, willing it to hurry up or end, before eventually giving up. And I have never done that before so I know that I really didn't like this book.

I'm certain that Lea Darragh is a talented writer because the way that the characters spoke was very beautifully written. But completely damaged their authenticity as real people to me. Jack and Emmy spoke like poets, yet they were a chef and and interior designer (respectively). And they both spoke in the same way. In fact most of the characters had a similar way of speaking so they weren't unique or realistic to me. And so I couldn't bond with them at any point. Because every time one of them said something "artistic" I was reminded that it was a book, written by an author with a real flair for beautiful language. But the characters lacked individuality and authenticity.

I feel really disappointed that I couldn't bring myself to read any further but it just wasn't right for me. And the disappointment was not because I didn't get to find out what happened, I really don't mind not knowing, but it's more that I could only review 40% of the book.

I would still be interested in trying another book by Lea because she really does have a talent with her words, but I don't think every character should share in that talent.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emerson/Em lost her fiance on their wedding day. He was on his way to get married there was a car accident and Ethan didn’t make it. Adam his brother had been driving and Jack Archer had driven the car that had hit and killed Ethan. Eighteen months later Em had moved to Cobbler’s Cove. Em was an interior designer and was designing a restaurant for Aubrey and her fiance Finn. Aubrey had become a good friend to Em as had Finn. Em had been brought but ignored by her parents enless she was being criticized by her family. She was an only child and had never been loved by her parents and as an adult really didn’t have anything to do with her parents. Em was still close to Ethan.s family and his brother wanted her to be with him but that is not what Em wanted. But Em was trying to live again and let go of the past. Em was surprised when Ethan’s parents told her it was okay to start. Jack Archer was to be the chef at Aubrey and Finn’s restaurant. Jack was a famous chef that had won awards. He would bring business to the restaurant once ti opened. So Em had to learn to deal with him. When Em saw had haunted and remorseful Jack was she couldn’t hate him and actually told him to start over. Jack had reasons for why he was rushing while driving and Em found it was all a horrible accident.
I didn’t care for this book. I read a little over half of the story and just couldn’t finish it. In some ways it too sad for me also my husband died young at thirty six and knew the pain the author did portray. . Anyway I gave this story a three maybe will enjoy this it just wasn’t for me.
I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.

[Tien · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a second novella of Lea Darragh that I’ve read. I’ve learnt now that she writes emotionally gut wrenching stories. I mean, isn’t it one of the worse things ever for your bridegroom to die in a car accident on the way to the wedding? And that’s how this story began.

The grief Emerson felt pervaded her whole being and there was nothing left of her. It is time for her to embrace life once again and she feels that she may be ready for it. Life, however, always brings some unexpected twist which sometimes can be the ultimate gift. Personally, I can’t say whether this grief felt by Emerson & Jack are genuine as I’ve never really experience the death of a dearly loved one (*knock wood*). I’m actually not quite sure how realistic it is the story of Emerson & Jack; it just seems to be an enormous step for anyone to make and will require a very very big heart and a ton of courage. Nevertheless, it’s rather nice to think that anyone can.

I was rather amused with the characters checking with Dr. Google. I wasn’t quite amused by the length of the sex scenes which spanned approximately 10% and in one big chunk. I wouldn’t mind so much if it was spread out a bit, I think, but after 5%, I lost interest even though what they’re supposed to have was a lovely act between 2 loving consenting adults. Overall, I rather enjoyed this novella; a quick charming read in yesterday’s heat.

Thanks to Escape Publishing for copy eARC via NetGalley in exchange of honest review

[Monique Tinline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
What a gripping Prologue that had me gasping for more.

Though the idea of the story was very realistic and this tragedy may be an everyday occurrence, it was the forgiveness and moving on with life that was touching.

The story of Emerson and Jack starts 18months after Emerson's life is turned upside down, but it wasn't until she met Jack that her life started to move forward. But how do you move forward with the one who took it all away?

I loved Jacks character, I love the remorse, the feelings and his overall personality.
Emerson was a strong woman, her strength to overcome and move forward was well done.

Together though they may have worked as a couple, I found them lacking something. Maybe it seemed there relationship seemed rushed in places and slow in others.

I enjoyed watching there relationship grow but then it seemed they were moving forward rapidly. I loved the slow build up and would have loved to see more of that growing. Some times I was left confused. Lost in who was saying what, this may have just been the formatting at an early stage.

[Sophie Bailey]

This love was such an amazing piece of writing! Tender, raw, tear jerkingly beautiful. About a love that seems so wrong but feels so right.

Emerson has been grieving the loss of her fiancé Ethan for a hard 18 months when along comes Jack, the cause of her loss. Thrown together through circumstance, their growing attraction throws up many questions and forces both of them to deal with their grief.

It is beautifully written, the descriptions of grief and all that comes with it is so heartfelt and true to life. The idea and the physical and emotional act of moving on with life after a loved ones death is tackled honestly and comes across as moving and powerful.

‘Most of my life I teetered on the edge of a cliff. Now, since Ethan, I hung by my fingernails, becoming exhausted by all of the things that seemed hell-bent on pushing me over. I could fall. Let out a last breath and relax my fingers away from the cliff’s edge. I could hurtle into the darkness that was hell bent on taking me. Or, I could keep focus on the light above me. The hand that reached down—I could take it.’

If you enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks novels then you’ll love this. It’s a true love story with an honesty about it that’ll bring you to your knees.

****ARC provided in return for an honest review *****

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Emerson's heart was broken when fiancé died in a car accident on the way to their wedding. She has been trying to put her life back together since that day. The story begins 18 months later, after Emerson has moved to peaceful Cobbler's Cove and started over. She is working as an interior designer in a new restaurant, when she encounters the new executive chef. Jack is a well known chef...and also happens to be the person who caused the accident that killed Emerson's fiancé.

Emerson and Jack try to keep their distance from each other, but keep getting thrown together as the restaurant is built. They are both grieving, but eventually their shared experiences bring them together. They help each other through their grief, and learn to live (and love) again.

This is not a happy-go-lucky romance story. Instead, it is the story of two people coming out of the worst event of their lives, forgiving and finding each other at the other end. The tragic situation was sad to read at times, but somehow made it seem like more realistic of a story. All in all, I would give this book 3.5 stars.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. It opens up with Emmy in the hospital in her wedding gown, finding out her fiancé died in surgery following a car wreck. It quickly flashes to 18 months later and Emmy trying to move on with her life, but stuck in her grief. In the first 1/3 of the book, Emmy's despair is palpable. As she confronts Jack(the man who ran the red light and killed her fiancé), she slowly begins to heal. As the story progresses, both Emmy and Jack show tremendous character growth and began to fall for one another. The mood of the story quickly transforms to one of hope, and eventually healing. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to read a book about two souls finding their path together and restoring one another. The scenic descriptions really pulled me in and I fell in love with their small beach town.


*I received this ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It was an OK story, a true to the day story. Something people in real life go through and have gone through.
The struggle of living or dying is what's this book is about, and healing. Jack and Emmy had to forgive one another before they could move on with each other. It was kind of mushy feel good love to me. I don't know how else to explain it.
Slow in some parts, and it picked up in others.
An accident brought Jack and Emmy into each other's lives. However the outcome of the accident has cause both such sorrow that they don't know if they want to keep living.
They find solace in one another, an unlikely place really. Emmy's kind of family didn't understand but does understand. She has moved on while others find it hard.
Like I said a story that happens in real life, I am sure this has actually happened we just don't hear about it.

[Tanya Vought · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is not only a love story but a book on forgiveness too!

You will feel and sympathize with both characters. Emmy is struggling with the death of her fiance on their wedding day. And then enter, Jack, the chef and not to mention what all he did all those moths ago....

The author does a great job of showing professionalism between Emmy and Jack and how she gracefully tackles their pain, grief and anguish!

This book could be from real life events.. and its one that gives you raw feelings from both characters!

3 stars from me.

* Recv'd a copy via Netgalley*

[Reckless Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is rough. Emerson lost her fiancée and is still trying to find her way. In order to do that she must confront the man who caused his death. Emerson is one of the strongest female characters. She suffers the loss daily and holds it together when she meets Jack. She sees herself in him, in how he wears his emotions on his face. Their relationship is a slow build but full of fire that leaves you breathless. Through the stages of grief both characters find themselves for a perfect ending.

[Talking Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emmerson and Jack's characters go through many emotional moments. Both characters brought out the deep emotions in the story, with both sides having their own demons and struggles to face throughout the book.
Review copy received from Escape Publishing via Netgalley for an honest rating

[C bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

via netgalley

excellent read

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I sooo wanted to love this book. Or I would have been happy with liking this book. But…

It started out so well. This is a romance book with conflict between the leads. Real conflict. Not that ‘thrown in from the doorway because Writing 101 said you must have a conflict’ conflict. A few chapters in and I was loving This Love. I was excited as to how this conflict was going to play out, and how the author and characters were going to reach a resolution.

Our heroine, Emerson, is living in a small Victorian coastal town, designing a restaurant for her [new] best friend, Aubrey. Aubrey’s fiance hires one of his oldest friends, Jack, to be the restaurant’s head chef. Obviously, as these things go, Emerson and Jack find themselves attracted to each other. The only problem? Well, you see around 18 months ago Jack was found to be at fault in a car accident which killed Emerson's then-finance, Ethan. See, this is a conflicted storyline with heavy themes of forgiveness. This had so much potential...

So, I was cruising along, quite happily reading it, checking what else the author had read to add those books to my TBR, anticipating it would be a 5/5 review. And then...

(Minor spoilers from here on. I also feel like I need to apologise in advance for the rest of the review. Sorry.)

The book changes around the 50% mark. Instead of the deep, thoughtful writing that introduced the characters and the plot, I got… M rated fanfiction. Now, this is where I must point out that I love fanfiction. I read fanfiction. Lots of it. Therefore, I know it when I see it, and I would wager my left leg that Lea Darragh has read (and written) lots of it at some stage.

Let me stress again, I love fanfiction, and there’s nothing wrong with reading or writing it per se. After all, 90% of the published works out there are basically fanfic (from Jane Eyre to Bridget Jones’s Diary to 50 Shades of Grey, the list is extensive).

Only fanfic follows a strict formula that works for the fanfiction format but has failed dismally in this case as it wasn't altered when publishing it as a full length novel.

Unfortunately, the second half of the book is choppy and disjointed, as if it was posted like a fanfic (a chapter a week or something similar -- for those unfamiliar think of an old serial or a newspaper/magazine episodic story).

The second half of the book was less deep thoughts about the conflict and more sex. The sex scenes weren’t completely offensive or awful, however, again the fanfic cliches made it difficult for me to appreciate them. There were the cliched settings like the ocean (no sharks there at night then?) and the shower and the forced-to-stay-in-a-cottage-because-of-a-storm. There were even fanfiction cliche terms and descriptions of sex.

Rightly or wrongly, usually once a fanfic writer has added sex to their story, they continue to make their characters be intimate in each chapter onwards. It's what the reader expects and most like to make their readers happy. This Love has lots of sex in the second half of the book.

A lot of fanfic has the characters working out their issues during sex. In this case, we suddenly get not only the original conflict of Jack’s identity, but at around the 75% mark the writer dropped a ‘bombshell’ of Emerson having body image issues. Such a fanfic cliche. Sorry.

My advice here would have been to stick with the original conflict. It was enough. I would also have liked a bit more of an explanation regarding its (that is, the original conflict of Jack being the one who killed Ethan) resolution. Well, maybe not Emerson’s resolution, that’s pretty obvious from the first moment she has sex with Jack, but Ethan’s family’s resolution.

We do get quite a few scenes of Ethan’s brother, Adam, but no real resolution there even.

Adam, I must add, was quite disturbing at times. And yet Emerson didn’t seem to be particularly scared of or offended by him. I’d have liked some sort of acknowledgement from one of the characters in the book at least that Adam was behaving inappropriately and creepily. I would not have liked to have been alone with him. *shudder* (Will I suggest that these scenes with Adam showed how Emerson became the fanfic cliche of a Mary Sue? No, best not.)

The final thing that tipped me over into fanfic territory was the epilogue. This switches to Jack’s point of view (the rest of the book is written in Emerson’s first person point of view) and we get to hear about the perfection of Emerson’s lush breasts etc. Nothing could scream fanfic more than that, people.

4 out of 5 stars for the first half of the book. If you don't read fanfic and see the comparison like I did, you might stick with the 4 out of 5 score. But I can only give the second half of the book 1 out of 5. Somehow I'm ending up with 2 out of 5 from that. *sad face*

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a sweet and sad story well worth reading recommended to all go get it