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Forever Family #2
Dear Tabitha
Tabitha Fletcher has sacrificed so much while losing everything she loves. Emerging from her lowest point, she’s determined to heal and repair the shattered life she refuses to accept as her reality. She deserves better than the hand she’s been dealt. And the one person who she yearns for has turned his back on her.
Alex Treadway’s entire world has come crashing down, causing him to walk away from the woman he loves. The horrors of his past continue to haunt him while his present threatens to spiral out of control. As the lead singer of one of the world’s biggest bands, Alex needs to find a reality better than the one he’s living. The one person who helped destroy everything may be the only one that can help him love again.
When Tabby and Alex’s lives cross again will they travel down a collision course to destruction or forgiveness? Can they find it in themselves to love again?
Will they be able to earn…
Redemption?
Love?
Family?
Dear Tabitha is the second book in the Forever Family series.
This book is not suitable for young readers. It is intended for mature adults only (18+). It contains strong language, adult/sexual situations and some violence.
Alex Treadway’s entire world has come crashing down, causing him to walk away from the woman he loves. The horrors of his past continue to haunt him while his present threatens to spiral out of control. As the lead singer of one of the world’s biggest bands, Alex needs to find a reality better than the one he’s living. The one person who helped destroy everything may be the only one that can help him love again.
When Tabby and Alex’s lives cross again will they travel down a collision course to destruction or forgiveness? Can they find it in themselves to love again?
Will they be able to earn…
Redemption?
Love?
Family?
Dear Tabitha is the second book in the Forever Family series.
This book is not suitable for young readers. It is intended for mature adults only (18+). It contains strong language, adult/sexual situations and some violence.
344 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 11, 2014
28 people are currently reading
1666 people want to read
About the author
Trudy Stiles
18 books540 followersTrudy Stiles is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance. Her emotional stories are inspired by various life experiences and observations. She’s the author of the bestselling Forever Family series and Epic Fail series.
When she’s not writing, she’s carting her children to their various activities while avoiding any kind of laundry or housework. She also loves to run along the boardwalk of the beautiful New Jersey shore and dreams of spending as much time in Disney World as possible.
She avidly celebrates Wine Wednesday.
Be sure to follow her on Amazon so you can receive alerts on all of her upcoming releases and book news.
Website: www.trudystiles.com
Email: authortrudystiles@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortrudystiles
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/trudy_stiles
Twitter: @trudystiles
When she’s not writing, she’s carting her children to their various activities while avoiding any kind of laundry or housework. She also loves to run along the boardwalk of the beautiful New Jersey shore and dreams of spending as much time in Disney World as possible.
She avidly celebrates Wine Wednesday.
Be sure to follow her on Amazon so you can receive alerts on all of her upcoming releases and book news.
Website: www.trudystiles.com
Email: authortrudystiles@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortrudystiles
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/trudy_stiles
Twitter: @trudystiles
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
December 27, 2014
4 stars!
Having read and loved the first book Dear Emily I dived straight into this second one, fingers crossed hoping that a certain character would finally get the ending she deserved. And Trudy Stiles delivered. As if the first book wasn’t emotional enough, book 2 packed quite a punch, delving deep and stripping bare Tabitha’s harrowing past while laying out a second chance romance with her ex-boyfriend, Alex. I will admit I started this book with mixed feelings towards Tabitha as some of her actions in the first book caused so much pain to the two people who loved her unconditionally. But by giving us her complete past that lead up to the present, I completely sympathized for her and only wanted her to finally get that happy ending she desired.
When I flipped to the first page, I kid you not, I immediately re-connected with the characters. The author wastes no time and immediately hits hard with her words, revealing the painful pasts of both main characters that are only briefly touched upon in book 1. Is it possible for a heart to break twice at a time? Because I’m sure that’s what was happening when I first read about Alex’s memories and then Tabitha’s following right after.
After Tabitha’s mom died, she’s tossed into one foster home after another, finally escaping but only to end up in another monster’s den until she finally meets Alex. On the other end, Alex has been physically abused since he was a kid and aside from his bandmates, is emotionally detached until he meets Tabitha. They run through the whole relationship spectrum, going from acquaintances to friends to lovers and because of one weak moment, break up. Even though they don’t meet again until a few years later, neither one has moved on from each other. And when they do finally see each other again, any misunderstandings and hurt are washed away and only longing and love remains.
I think the character growth in this book is stunning, especially for Tabitha. In book 1, she truly was a mess and couldn’t pull herself together after suffering from severe depression, pregnancy, and losing Alex. I was happy the book focus wasn’t entirely just on rekindling her romance with Alex and put Tabitha’s well-being and healing process a priority. I also enjoyed the Carly, Kyle, and Emily cameos as they all played a huge role in Tabitha’s life.
But without a doubt, what made this book stand out for me was Alex. For starters, I liked that he wasn’t portrayed as the typical rockstar who slept around with groupies and had an ego the size of a mountain. He’s loyal and loving, and because he knew the only girl for him was Tabitha, there was no room in his mind or heart for another. But at the same time he also struggled with anger and jealousy issues and that character growth is explored as well.
Though they wanted to, Tabitha and Alex certainly weren’t ready to handle the enormity of a family and their relationship without working out their own problems first, and once they had and faced their fears, it was a heartwarming thing to read them being able to move on towards their future together.
Just like the way the story was told in book 1, this book alternates between past/present scenes switching back and forth between Alex and Tabitha’s POVs. It sounds like a hassle, but honestly, I was entranced and sucked in by the author’s storytelling method and never felt annoyed or disconnected from the characters. However, the one thing that I wasn’t too fond of was Seth’s absence. He was such a big part of Tabitha’s life in book 1 and it saddened me to see him totally cut out of her life. I think I might be the only one who didn’t think he was annoying but instead, felt for this guy who had an unrequited love for Tabitha and the only thing he did receive was pain and hurt. Anyways, his book is next so I’m awfully interested to see where his story goes...
This book and the first one are stories that took me by storm. Completely gripping and the emotion practically bled out from the pages. I’m still getting used to the fact that this is one author who used past/present POVs and time jumps that didn’t get on my nerves (because 99% of them do). With just these two books, Trudy Stiles has skyrocketed to my list of authors to watch out for. And for the time being, I will be waiting for book 3 with bated breath...
Dear Tabitha is the 2nd book in the Forever Family series and not a standalone. Dear Emily MUST be read first and though there are more books planned in the series, it’s perfectly safe to read these two now as book 2 ends on a satisfying, conclusive note. But I won’t lie. I wanted the next book yesterday!!
Having read and loved the first book Dear Emily I dived straight into this second one, fingers crossed hoping that a certain character would finally get the ending she deserved. And Trudy Stiles delivered. As if the first book wasn’t emotional enough, book 2 packed quite a punch, delving deep and stripping bare Tabitha’s harrowing past while laying out a second chance romance with her ex-boyfriend, Alex. I will admit I started this book with mixed feelings towards Tabitha as some of her actions in the first book caused so much pain to the two people who loved her unconditionally. But by giving us her complete past that lead up to the present, I completely sympathized for her and only wanted her to finally get that happy ending she desired.
When I flipped to the first page, I kid you not, I immediately re-connected with the characters. The author wastes no time and immediately hits hard with her words, revealing the painful pasts of both main characters that are only briefly touched upon in book 1. Is it possible for a heart to break twice at a time? Because I’m sure that’s what was happening when I first read about Alex’s memories and then Tabitha’s following right after.
After Tabitha’s mom died, she’s tossed into one foster home after another, finally escaping but only to end up in another monster’s den until she finally meets Alex. On the other end, Alex has been physically abused since he was a kid and aside from his bandmates, is emotionally detached until he meets Tabitha. They run through the whole relationship spectrum, going from acquaintances to friends to lovers and because of one weak moment, break up. Even though they don’t meet again until a few years later, neither one has moved on from each other. And when they do finally see each other again, any misunderstandings and hurt are washed away and only longing and love remains.
I think the character growth in this book is stunning, especially for Tabitha. In book 1, she truly was a mess and couldn’t pull herself together after suffering from severe depression, pregnancy, and losing Alex. I was happy the book focus wasn’t entirely just on rekindling her romance with Alex and put Tabitha’s well-being and healing process a priority. I also enjoyed the Carly, Kyle, and Emily cameos as they all played a huge role in Tabitha’s life.
But without a doubt, what made this book stand out for me was Alex. For starters, I liked that he wasn’t portrayed as the typical rockstar who slept around with groupies and had an ego the size of a mountain. He’s loyal and loving, and because he knew the only girl for him was Tabitha, there was no room in his mind or heart for another. But at the same time he also struggled with anger and jealousy issues and that character growth is explored as well.
Though they wanted to, Tabitha and Alex certainly weren’t ready to handle the enormity of a family and their relationship without working out their own problems first, and once they had and faced their fears, it was a heartwarming thing to read them being able to move on towards their future together.
Just like the way the story was told in book 1, this book alternates between past/present scenes switching back and forth between Alex and Tabitha’s POVs. It sounds like a hassle, but honestly, I was entranced and sucked in by the author’s storytelling method and never felt annoyed or disconnected from the characters. However, the one thing that I wasn’t too fond of was Seth’s absence. He was such a big part of Tabitha’s life in book 1 and it saddened me to see him totally cut out of her life. I think I might be the only one who didn’t think he was annoying but instead, felt for this guy who had an unrequited love for Tabitha and the only thing he did receive was pain and hurt. Anyways, his book is next so I’m awfully interested to see where his story goes...
This book and the first one are stories that took me by storm. Completely gripping and the emotion practically bled out from the pages. I’m still getting used to the fact that this is one author who used past/present POVs and time jumps that didn’t get on my nerves (because 99% of them do). With just these two books, Trudy Stiles has skyrocketed to my list of authors to watch out for. And for the time being, I will be waiting for book 3 with bated breath...
Dear Tabitha is the 2nd book in the Forever Family series and not a standalone. Dear Emily MUST be read first and though there are more books planned in the series, it’s perfectly safe to read these two now as book 2 ends on a satisfying, conclusive note. But I won’t lie. I wanted the next book yesterday!!
March 31, 2014
IT'S LIVE!!!!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mgKrhm
B&N: http://bit.ly/1f6DZbn
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1pDr0iN
4.5--Coming Full Circle--Stars!!
Fantastic conclusion to Tabitha's story. It's going to be near impossible to write a review that doesn't spoil the beauty of experiencing this story firsthand.
This is not a standalone. It is meant to be read after Dear Emily as this is Tabitha's complete story. Okay...
In Dear Emily, we got a glimpse at the pain and suffering that Tabitha went through as a child and teen. She lost her mother at the age of seven and her life was never the same again.
She was tossed from foster home to foster home until she finally escaped and fled across country. Tabitha lands in Portland, Oregan and takes the first job she gets offered, at Tony's Place. The pay is good and she has an apartment to stay in above the bar.
At the hands of Tony, Tabitha experiences some of the most gut wrenching and heart breaking pain and suffering. My heart broke for Tabitha. She barely escapes with her life. But remains so damaged and beat down from the physical, emotional and mental abuse that she's a shell of herself.
And then Tabitha meets Alex...and he saves her. He gives her hope, when she had none. Strength when she was weak. Confindence that she will one day be okay. She's gives everything to Alex. And in a moment of weakness it's all taken away.
Over the next two years, Tabitha starts over. She rises from the pain and suffering of her past and becomes someone that she can be proud of. She makes painful, life-altering decisions. She betters herself. She moves on. She starts to live again.
And one day Alex returns to her.
Tabitha gave Alex her heart and she never got it back. But so much has happened in the two years that Alex has been gone. Can they move on from a past that tore them apart and build a future together?
There's so much to Tabitha's story...no review can even begin to portray her story. If you loved Dear Emily, you will aboslutely love Dear Tabitha. You'll cry tears of pain, tears of sadness and tears of joy. You'll long for Tabitha to find the HEA that she deserves.
Okay...for my minor quibbles and why I couldn't give it a full 5 stars...
DO NOT open the spoiler tag if you have not read the book!
The next book in the series will be about
ARC kindly provided by Trudy Stiles in exchange for an honest review
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mgKrhm
B&N: http://bit.ly/1f6DZbn
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1pDr0iN
4.5--Coming Full Circle--Stars!!
Fantastic conclusion to Tabitha's story. It's going to be near impossible to write a review that doesn't spoil the beauty of experiencing this story firsthand.
This is not a standalone. It is meant to be read after Dear Emily as this is Tabitha's complete story. Okay...
In Dear Emily, we got a glimpse at the pain and suffering that Tabitha went through as a child and teen. She lost her mother at the age of seven and her life was never the same again.
"I saw unicorns and rainbows before she died, and nothing but snakes and scorpions since."
She was tossed from foster home to foster home until she finally escaped and fled across country. Tabitha lands in Portland, Oregan and takes the first job she gets offered, at Tony's Place. The pay is good and she has an apartment to stay in above the bar.
At the hands of Tony, Tabitha experiences some of the most gut wrenching and heart breaking pain and suffering. My heart broke for Tabitha. She barely escapes with her life. But remains so damaged and beat down from the physical, emotional and mental abuse that she's a shell of herself.
"He's taken everything from me. My dignity. My strength. My virginity. My will to live. All of these things were brutally ripped from me. I'm afraid I'll never get any of it back."
And then Tabitha meets Alex...and he saves her. He gives her hope, when she had none. Strength when she was weak. Confindence that she will one day be okay. She's gives everything to Alex. And in a moment of weakness it's all taken away.
Over the next two years, Tabitha starts over. She rises from the pain and suffering of her past and becomes someone that she can be proud of. She makes painful, life-altering decisions. She betters herself. She moves on. She starts to live again.
And one day Alex returns to her.
Tabitha gave Alex her heart and she never got it back. But so much has happened in the two years that Alex has been gone. Can they move on from a past that tore them apart and build a future together?
There's so much to Tabitha's story...no review can even begin to portray her story. If you loved Dear Emily, you will aboslutely love Dear Tabitha. You'll cry tears of pain, tears of sadness and tears of joy. You'll long for Tabitha to find the HEA that she deserves.
Okay...for my minor quibbles and why I couldn't give it a full 5 stars...
DO NOT open the spoiler tag if you have not read the book!
The next book in the series will be about
ARC kindly provided by Trudy Stiles in exchange for an honest review
March 30, 2014
IT'S LIVE!!!!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mgKrhm
B&N: http://bit.ly/1f6DZbn
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1pDr0iN
4.5 - Second Chance - Stars!
We originally met Tabitha in Dear Emily. Tabitha has had a hard life. Her mother died when she was 7 and she was bounced around the foster care system until running away at age 17.
”I saw unicorns and rainbows before she died, and nothing but snakes and scorpions since.”
It definitely has not been easy for her, but she has remained resilient and has survived.
She thinks
but that's not true. Alex also had a hard life. His mother died at a young age and his father beat him until ultimately killing himself when Alex was 14. They somewhat bond and start a relationship.
Unfortunately they have a misunderstanding and break up. Alex's band then leaves for the tour. They have not had contact in years but his band’s tour is over and he is back in town. Alex still loves Tabitha so he goes to see her and see how she is.
When Tabitha sees Alex again she knows she has to tell him the truth about what happened while he was gone but she’s scared.
”Because I’m not ready for him to leave me again.”
How will it turn out? Will Tabitha and Alex wind up together? How will he handle everything when he's told the truth, especially with the unexpected surprises that come up along the way.
This is Tabitha’s story of survival, recovery, and a second chance.
”I’ve finally found what I deserve. What I’m meant to have.
Family.
Happiness.
Love.
Forever.”
This book was a great conclusion to Tabitha’s story. It made me cry happy and sad tears and really got to me. The author made it easy to keep up with the stories of their past and their present.
I couldn't give it a full 5 because I had a few minor things that bothered me. Tabitha’s moods changed too fast in my opinion. She went from freaking out panic attack crying to smirking and being perfectly fine. Maybe this is due to the abuse she endured but I wish it would she would have eased into her different moods. My other issue had to deal with Just my preferences though.
Book three will be about
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mgKrhm
B&N: http://bit.ly/1f6DZbn
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1pDr0iN
4.5 - Second Chance - Stars!
We originally met Tabitha in Dear Emily. Tabitha has had a hard life. Her mother died when she was 7 and she was bounced around the foster care system until running away at age 17.
”I saw unicorns and rainbows before she died, and nothing but snakes and scorpions since.”
It definitely has not been easy for her, but she has remained resilient and has survived.
She thinks
but that's not true. Alex also had a hard life. His mother died at a young age and his father beat him until ultimately killing himself when Alex was 14. They somewhat bond and start a relationship.
Unfortunately they have a misunderstanding and break up. Alex's band then leaves for the tour. They have not had contact in years but his band’s tour is over and he is back in town. Alex still loves Tabitha so he goes to see her and see how she is.
When Tabitha sees Alex again she knows she has to tell him the truth about what happened while he was gone but she’s scared.
”Because I’m not ready for him to leave me again.”
How will it turn out? Will Tabitha and Alex wind up together? How will he handle everything when he's told the truth, especially with the unexpected surprises that come up along the way.
This is Tabitha’s story of survival, recovery, and a second chance.
”I’ve finally found what I deserve. What I’m meant to have.
Family.
Happiness.
Love.
Forever.”
This book was a great conclusion to Tabitha’s story. It made me cry happy and sad tears and really got to me. The author made it easy to keep up with the stories of their past and their present.
I couldn't give it a full 5 because I had a few minor things that bothered me. Tabitha’s moods changed too fast in my opinion. She went from freaking out panic attack crying to smirking and being perfectly fine. Maybe this is due to the abuse she endured but I wish it would she would have eased into her different moods. My other issue had to deal with Just my preferences though.
Book three will be about
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2016
It's LIVE!!!
Dear Tabitha:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00JC9VCWA
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-...
The first book, Dear Emily is available at the following links:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00H4HHQM2
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-...
Dear Tabitha:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00JC9VCWA
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-...
The first book, Dear Emily is available at the following links:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00H4HHQM2
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-...
March 30, 2014
**ARC provided by author for honest review**
This book was such a great follow up to Dear Emily! I had been dying to get my hands on Tabitha's story since I finished Emily. Trudy Stiles did not disappoint. While not as angsty as the previous book, I felt this one packed just as good of a punch.
My favorite thing about this book? ALEX!!!
I love him even more.
I loved seeing their back story about how they fell in love. Their love was slowly built and so well fought for. If you read Emily you know something happened and that shattered that love. This book picks up 2 1/2 years later. It's a book about second chances and surprises you don't see coming. The ending was a perfect full circle for this couple, one that was hard fought for.
My only draw back was I needed to know what happened while they were apart and that never really came up. I'm a reader who craves that "complete" feeling. I would have loved to know what Alex did that whole time.
Ms. Stiles has written her way to the top of my must read authors!
This book was such a great follow up to Dear Emily! I had been dying to get my hands on Tabitha's story since I finished Emily. Trudy Stiles did not disappoint. While not as angsty as the previous book, I felt this one packed just as good of a punch.
My favorite thing about this book? ALEX!!!
I love him even more.
I loved seeing their back story about how they fell in love. Their love was slowly built and so well fought for. If you read Emily you know something happened and that shattered that love. This book picks up 2 1/2 years later. It's a book about second chances and surprises you don't see coming. The ending was a perfect full circle for this couple, one that was hard fought for.
My only draw back was I needed to know what happened while they were apart and that never really came up. I'm a reader who craves that "complete" feeling. I would have loved to know what Alex did that whole time.
Ms. Stiles has written her way to the top of my must read authors!
April 20, 2015
Conclusion to Tabitha's story
Seth or Alex?
**4 Forever Stars**
What a perfect ending to Tabitha's story!
Seth or Alex?
**4 Forever Stars**
What a perfect ending to Tabitha's story!
March 1, 2020
3.5 ⭐️’s
Dear Tabitha is the 2nd book in the Forever Family series and you should read book 1 before you start this one.
After reading Dear Emily, I was really, really, really looking forward to reading Tabitha’s story and I couldn’t wait for her HEA. However, I found myself just a tad disappointed.
Similar to book 1, this story also flipped between the past and the present. However in this case, I felt the past was already pretty much established for Tabitha in book one so it somewhat seemed repetitive in this book. Although I got to know Alex a little better, I still felt there were too many jumps back to the past.
I loved the twist with Sara, and when that was introduced I ended up skipping the “past” sections and only read the sections that focused on the present.
As with the previous book, there were some heart tugging moments. The Dear Tabitha letters written by Sara, and Alex meeting Emily and having to deal with the emotions of that whole situation certainly caused some beautiful and bittersweet moments. ❤️💔
I will say that the epilogue rubbed me the wrong way. I know it was probably to set up the next book, but I just didn’t want my epilogue told from someone else’s point of view. 👎🤨 I would have preferred the story end with the thoughts and HEA expressed directly from either Tabitha or Alex.
Ultimately I did like the book and was very happy with the way things turned out for Tabitha (except for the bus incident which was completely unnecessary). She completely deserved her HEA and I loved her growth between Book 1 an Book 2. Watching her finally get the family she had always dreamed of was a beautiful end to her story.
Dear Tabitha is the 2nd book in the Forever Family series and you should read book 1 before you start this one.
After reading Dear Emily, I was really, really, really looking forward to reading Tabitha’s story and I couldn’t wait for her HEA. However, I found myself just a tad disappointed.
Similar to book 1, this story also flipped between the past and the present. However in this case, I felt the past was already pretty much established for Tabitha in book one so it somewhat seemed repetitive in this book. Although I got to know Alex a little better, I still felt there were too many jumps back to the past.
I loved the twist with Sara, and when that was introduced I ended up skipping the “past” sections and only read the sections that focused on the present.
As with the previous book, there were some heart tugging moments. The Dear Tabitha letters written by Sara, and Alex meeting Emily and having to deal with the emotions of that whole situation certainly caused some beautiful and bittersweet moments. ❤️💔
I will say that the epilogue rubbed me the wrong way. I know it was probably to set up the next book, but I just didn’t want my epilogue told from someone else’s point of view. 👎🤨 I would have preferred the story end with the thoughts and HEA expressed directly from either Tabitha or Alex.
Ultimately I did like the book and was very happy with the way things turned out for Tabitha (except for the bus incident which was completely unnecessary). She completely deserved her HEA and I loved her growth between Book 1 an Book 2. Watching her finally get the family she had always dreamed of was a beautiful end to her story.
April 6, 2014
Wow! Get the Kleenex at the ready and prepare for another emotional ride from Trudy Stiles! She’s going to make you cry, ugly cry and she’ll also make you smile – there’s so many mixed emotions in this book and the best way I can sum it up is to say that it’s bittersweet. Although there’s a lot of happiness here, we’ll also be left with a big ‘what if’ and and longing for what’s been lost and can never be replaced.
I have to confess to having mixed feelings about Tabitha after I read Dear Emily. While on one hand, I sympathised deeply with her incredible losses and the terrible abuse that she suffered and on the other, I felt that she played fast and loose with the emotions of the men in her life and, ultimately, crushed two good men. She left both Alex and Seth heartbroken in her wake and I began this book with no small amount of anger towards her and I was very intrigued to see how Trudy Stiles would handle this very challenging heroine.
Her words tear into me like that fucking rake did so long ago. I feel gutted. My heart drops in my chest when the words she just spoke sink into me.
There isn’t an us anymore.
We join Tabitha a couple of years after the events of Dear Emily – Tabitha has grown emotionally and is now a much stronger person. She’s single again having left Seth long behind and haven given her heart irrevocably to Alex who she hasn’t seen in years but he is about to come back into her life and he’s not the only surprise in store for her as her past comes roaring back to completely change everything.
Both Tabitha and Alex come from harrowing backgrounds. Tabitha was orphaned at birth, adopted by a wonderful woman who died tragically and suddenly, abandoned to the foster system and then almost enslaved by an evil, abusive man. She’s escaped her past but she’s not without emotional scars and lives with constant nightmares. She’s lost and given up so much in her life for the good of others – her life has been about sacrifice and, only now, is she beginning to live her life for herself and on her own terms. She’s grown so much since we first met her and she’s now an independent woman attempting to leave her tragic past behind.
Alex also suffered years of abuse after the loss of his beloved mother but, thankfully, was able to grow up in the heart of his best friend Dax’s loving family. He gave his heart to Tabitha years ago only to catch her kissing Seth, betraying him and he ran, broken hearted, without ever looking back. If only he had – if only he had given Tabitha the chance to explain, things would have been so different. He’s lost more than he can ever begin to realise and now, the truth about Emily is about to come out and watch out for some incredibly emotional scenes as Alex comes to terms with all that he has lost.
This is such an emotional story – the raw pain BLEEDS out of this novel and Alex, especially, had me welling up. I felt so badly for him, much more than I ever did for Tabitha despite her awful past. There’s just something about Alex – the way he wears his emotions on his heart, the tender and patient way he handled a skittish and battle-scarred Tabitha as they were getting to know one another, the sweet things that he does for her that really melted my heart. He’s beautiful inside and out and I couldn't stand to see him hurting and Trudy Stiles really does put him through the mill in this book. Be prepared to hurt and to hurt bad for Alex.
Tabitha has so much to deal with in this novel – not only has Alex walked back into her life, a big part of her past, a part she thought was lost to her has suddenly returns and Tabitha is left lost and floundering, desperate to do the right thing but unsure if she has the strength to do it. Alex was such a rock for her even though he was hurting – he was there for her every step of the way and I just adored him.
This is beautifully paced. It’s told from Tabitha and Alex’s alternating POV’s and differing timelines and I think Trudy Stiles does a good job of getting inside their heads at different stages of their life. Their inner voice does a good job of reflecting the age their character is at the time – it’s very well told. It builds to an incredible emotional crescendo and the last 25% or so had me turning the pages at a rate of knots, completely unable to put this down as I found myself so invested, desperate for this all to end well knowing that the ending could only be bittersweet at best – there’s still the loss of Alex, Tabitha and Emily as the family that can never be. We do, however, get to catch up with Emily, Carly and Kyle and it’s great to see them so happy and moving on as a family and and I really enjoyed their scenes.
So it’s another intensely emotional story from Trudy Stiles and we have Seth’s story to look forward to later this year.
4.5 angsty stars
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December 5, 2016
Beautiful love story continuing on with Tabitha, Seth and Alex.
Great characters and Sara and Emily were the ones that stole my heart in this one.
Great characters and Sara and Emily were the ones that stole my heart in this one.
March 31, 2014
“I’m free. Free of fear. Free of lies. But can I be free to hope?”
Confession time. I was terrified of this book. Literally, breaking out in a cold sweat the moment I decided to read it. Dear Emily was one of the most emotional stories to ever touch my heart and as much as I loved and connected so deeply with the main characters in that book, I have been anxiously waiting for Tabitha’s story ever since. I felt invested in Tabitha from the moment I met this unfortunate young woman, and hoped with all my heart that she would eventually find her happiness. Well, Tabitha finally got her story and even though I sobbed like a baby and almost punched a wall a few times, my heart is so full right now, it’s quite possibly glowing. An awe-inspiring conclusion to a story that changes you, moves you, touches every facet of your soul and leaves a part of itself deeply embedded in your heart, this book was everything I hoped it would be and so much more.
“I’m a terrible cook and I wouldn’t want to run you out the door.”
“I would eat cardboard if it meant I could spend the night with you.”
Tabitha has only experienced loss in her life, everyone she has ever cared for being taken from her one way or another throughout her young life. She has survived rape, sexual abuse, physical violence, and yet, as cruel as fate has always been to her, she remains a kind and compassionate soul, pure at heart, who struggles with insecurities and issues of low self-esteem, and never takes the affection of others for granted. The horrors that she has lived through have not made her bitter or resentful of the happiness of others, but rather appreciative of what little she has and hopeful that a new day would finally bring her own happy ending, gifting her with the one thing she dreams most of having – a family. As baby Emily’s birth mother, we have already watched Tabitha experience sorrow and loss, but in this book, we get to bear witness to the very events in her life that have marked her the most and have led her to become the unsettled woman she is today.
“Why did she do this to us? She ruined us? I trusted her. Loved her.”
Alex is the only man Tabitha has ever loved, but one mistake on her part has caused them two and a half years of separation during which neither of them have moved on romantically, but both have somehow changed for the better. When Alex returns home, his only wish is to find out whether the woman he still loves is as broken without him as he has been without her. But Alex does not know how much has happened in Tabitha’s life since his departure, never expecting to find a much more confident and determined young woman in place of the shy and broken one he left behind.
“I’ve been lost and alone without her for so long.”
By giving us a very intimate insight into Alex’s childhood as well, we find out how similar their young lives have been, marred by loss and violence, making them both terrified of giving their hearts away in fear of having them broken. Their worse fears made them lose the fairy-tale romance they once had, but life finally gives them another chance at happiness and let me tell you, you will need tissues to watch it all unfold.
“I’m … not ready to tell him yet. Because I’m not ready for him to leave me again.”
One huge secret stands between them and their happy ending and in a heart-stopping tale of forgiveness, second chances and hope, we get first row seats at one of the most superb shows of human endurance and obstinate ability to give love. While Dear Emily was such a story of opposites, where one woman was gaining everything she ever dreamed of in life, and the other was losing it all and facing a future where she would forever mourn that loss, this book is in so many ways a story of two people being drawn to one another because of the parallels in their lives and a unique understanding of each other’s deepest demons.
“I won’t inherit his rage. I won’t be like him.”
This is truly a book like no other. This story is told with honesty and heart, making the reader feel so many different emotions page after page, but most of all the author’s reverence for her own characters. I walked away feeling like every half-empty glass in my life was suddenly full to the rim, thankful for this journey and determined to read every word this author ever decides to write.
“Our forever starts now.”
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May 30, 2014
5 out of 5 Stars
Note: Dear Tabitha is the sequel to Dear Emily, Book 1 in the Forever Family Series. Please make sure to read Dear Emily first, as Dear Tabitha is in no way a standalone and holds many, many references to Tabitha’s life before Emily, the child she gave away for adoption.
Tabitha Fletcher has been through many hardships and tough moments in her life. She has finally come over her depression and has found acceptance in having given her child Emily away at birth, to a family that treats her daughter like a miracle and keeps Tabitha updated every step of the way.
However, one day, out of the blue, she is hit with two shocking news: her ex-boyfriend Alex Treadway is back in her hometown of Philadelphia and looking for her. However, what he doesn’t expect is finding out that he may or may not be Emily’s father, when he had no idea Tabitha was pregnant when they broke up.
At the same time, Tabitha receives a letter from a long forgotten acquaintance telling her to come pick up the pieces of her old life: she finally finds out the whereabouts of her daughter Sara, whom she was forced to give away at birth by the father, a man who held her captive and raped her over 2 years.
If you enjoyed Dear Emily, you will definitely also enjoy Dear Tabitha as it is written with the same passion, empathy and depth. That being said, Dear Tabitha is definitely not a light read, it is as heavy as can be, and just as tear-threatening and gut-churning as Dear Emily, given that it recounts Tabitha’s personal ordeal and her recovery from it up until now, and as the past comes back to haunt her.
The writing is perfect all the way through: words flow in such a way that leaves you unable to put down the book. Just as its prequel, Dear Tabitha is written in 2 alternating 1st person POVs, and we are back in Tabitha’s mind, but this time also in Alex’s mind, learning about their awful past, and about their way to deal with the present. The idea behind this book is to tell the story of two people who have been dealt a really shit hand of cards, who have gone through even worse all the while believing it was their fault life treats them badly. Yet, they have managed to go against their demons and finally see their silver lining with and through each other.
Some might think this story feels unreal or even that it’s impossible Tabitha and Alex can reconnect in such a way even after so many years and countless misunderstandings, and still trust and accept each other the way they are.
Yet, all rationality set aside (and you know how much it is important for me that a book has a certain “believability” factor), I want this story to be believable. I really want for Tabitha and Alex to have their happy end simply because they deserve it. All the things they (and especially she) has been through have to stop at some point and make way for something better.
Both of them need a much deserved closure, even if it hurts to think about all they’ve been through to finally get there. Dear Tabitha finally provides us with this closure that Dear Emily couldn’t give us (at least not for Tabitha), and it’s a beautiful one full of hope.
Dear Tabitha is definitely one of those books that won’t leave you unaffected, and that will also definitely let you see things from a different angle once you’ve read it. I highly recommend it and will be waiting impatiently for the 3rd book in the series, where we will find out about Seth.
Note: Dear Tabitha is the sequel to Dear Emily, Book 1 in the Forever Family Series. Please make sure to read Dear Emily first, as Dear Tabitha is in no way a standalone and holds many, many references to Tabitha’s life before Emily, the child she gave away for adoption.
Tabitha Fletcher has been through many hardships and tough moments in her life. She has finally come over her depression and has found acceptance in having given her child Emily away at birth, to a family that treats her daughter like a miracle and keeps Tabitha updated every step of the way.
However, one day, out of the blue, she is hit with two shocking news: her ex-boyfriend Alex Treadway is back in her hometown of Philadelphia and looking for her. However, what he doesn’t expect is finding out that he may or may not be Emily’s father, when he had no idea Tabitha was pregnant when they broke up.
At the same time, Tabitha receives a letter from a long forgotten acquaintance telling her to come pick up the pieces of her old life: she finally finds out the whereabouts of her daughter Sara, whom she was forced to give away at birth by the father, a man who held her captive and raped her over 2 years.
If you enjoyed Dear Emily, you will definitely also enjoy Dear Tabitha as it is written with the same passion, empathy and depth. That being said, Dear Tabitha is definitely not a light read, it is as heavy as can be, and just as tear-threatening and gut-churning as Dear Emily, given that it recounts Tabitha’s personal ordeal and her recovery from it up until now, and as the past comes back to haunt her.
The writing is perfect all the way through: words flow in such a way that leaves you unable to put down the book. Just as its prequel, Dear Tabitha is written in 2 alternating 1st person POVs, and we are back in Tabitha’s mind, but this time also in Alex’s mind, learning about their awful past, and about their way to deal with the present. The idea behind this book is to tell the story of two people who have been dealt a really shit hand of cards, who have gone through even worse all the while believing it was their fault life treats them badly. Yet, they have managed to go against their demons and finally see their silver lining with and through each other.
Some might think this story feels unreal or even that it’s impossible Tabitha and Alex can reconnect in such a way even after so many years and countless misunderstandings, and still trust and accept each other the way they are.
Yet, all rationality set aside (and you know how much it is important for me that a book has a certain “believability” factor), I want this story to be believable. I really want for Tabitha and Alex to have their happy end simply because they deserve it. All the things they (and especially she) has been through have to stop at some point and make way for something better.
Both of them need a much deserved closure, even if it hurts to think about all they’ve been through to finally get there. Dear Tabitha finally provides us with this closure that Dear Emily couldn’t give us (at least not for Tabitha), and it’s a beautiful one full of hope.
Dear Tabitha is definitely one of those books that won’t leave you unaffected, and that will also definitely let you see things from a different angle once you’ve read it. I highly recommend it and will be waiting impatiently for the 3rd book in the series, where we will find out about Seth.
March 30, 2014
4.5 Starting Over Stars
So there was this...
and then there was some of this...
LOL. OMG. TTYL. Text. Email. Snap Chat. It's all so instant isn't it. We even have Instgram. Got Inst right there in the name. We want information and we want it now. I hate checking my voice mail. It takes too long. Just send me a text. Letter writing is dying art. Heck, even handwriting is a dying art. Teens and Twenties don't know how to write in cursive. My 22 year old son's handwriting looks like a second grade serial killer. I have some old letters, documents, land deeds from several generations back. They had beautiful handwriting and boy did they know how to write a letter. Trudy Stiles understands the power of the handwritten letter. And this is some powerful stuff.
Warning: This a continuation of Dear Emily. Read that first.
We first met Tabitha in Dear Emily as the letter writing young lady who was brave enough, selfless enough to give her child up for adoption. Tabitha has had a hard life but has matured, grown and come into her own. She is now longer the hurt, scared cowering girl who let life happen to her. She is now taking control of her life. She has given up two children, one not so voluntarily. She has also moved from the man she loved. The man who walked away.
Alex loved Tabitha. Loved her so much that when he saw her with another man, he was so broken he could not fight for her. He ran. He couldn't take the chance that the violence he grew up with could come out of him. Could be directed at her.
She ruined us. I need to get her out of my mind and heart. I just hope that I can.
Alex is now back in town and wants to be back in Tabitha's life. He is ready to fight for her because he refuses to let his father ruin the rest of his life like he destroyed his youth.
No. I'm not him. My pops I. Am. Not. Him.
Tabitha and Alex have so many demons, the worst of which is self doubt. They don't trust themselves to love the person they want the most without hurting them. This is the story of discovering you are more than your history. Can a person overcome their past, the tapes that run in their head? What kind of strength does it take to remake yourself. Not physically but mentally. To overcome what has been engrained in you?
Tabitha and Alex's story is powerful, emotional, and keeps you in the edge of your seat. You know Ms Stiles is not going to let you off easy. I was reading from between my fingers. You feel their anxiety, their anticipation and their pain. There are great side stories. The guy on the plane....love that. I am dying to know the back story to that tidbit.
Bravo Ms Stiles....you may single-handedly bring back letter writing. Text me when the next book comes out.
So there was this...
and then there was some of this...
LOL. OMG. TTYL. Text. Email. Snap Chat. It's all so instant isn't it. We even have Instgram. Got Inst right there in the name. We want information and we want it now. I hate checking my voice mail. It takes too long. Just send me a text. Letter writing is dying art. Heck, even handwriting is a dying art. Teens and Twenties don't know how to write in cursive. My 22 year old son's handwriting looks like a second grade serial killer. I have some old letters, documents, land deeds from several generations back. They had beautiful handwriting and boy did they know how to write a letter. Trudy Stiles understands the power of the handwritten letter. And this is some powerful stuff.
Warning: This a continuation of Dear Emily. Read that first.
We first met Tabitha in Dear Emily as the letter writing young lady who was brave enough, selfless enough to give her child up for adoption. Tabitha has had a hard life but has matured, grown and come into her own. She is now longer the hurt, scared cowering girl who let life happen to her. She is now taking control of her life. She has given up two children, one not so voluntarily. She has also moved from the man she loved. The man who walked away.
Alex loved Tabitha. Loved her so much that when he saw her with another man, he was so broken he could not fight for her. He ran. He couldn't take the chance that the violence he grew up with could come out of him. Could be directed at her.
She ruined us. I need to get her out of my mind and heart. I just hope that I can.
Alex is now back in town and wants to be back in Tabitha's life. He is ready to fight for her because he refuses to let his father ruin the rest of his life like he destroyed his youth.
No. I'm not him. My pops I. Am. Not. Him.
Tabitha and Alex have so many demons, the worst of which is self doubt. They don't trust themselves to love the person they want the most without hurting them. This is the story of discovering you are more than your history. Can a person overcome their past, the tapes that run in their head? What kind of strength does it take to remake yourself. Not physically but mentally. To overcome what has been engrained in you?
Tabitha and Alex's story is powerful, emotional, and keeps you in the edge of your seat. You know Ms Stiles is not going to let you off easy. I was reading from between my fingers. You feel their anxiety, their anticipation and their pain. There are great side stories. The guy on the plane....love that. I am dying to know the back story to that tidbit.
Bravo Ms Stiles....you may single-handedly bring back letter writing. Text me when the next book comes out.
April 11, 2014
Holy Hell, get the tissues out.... BIG UGLY CRYING WILL OCCUR!!
Dear Tabitha is book two in Trudy Stiles’ Forever Family series. This book like the first is excellently written and covers very difficult topics in a respectful but informative manner. This story is a rollercoaster of emotion from the very beginning and I have to wonder if Trudy spent as much time crying while writing it as I did while reading it. Tabitha and Alex’s story is so full of raw emotion and angst that you couldn’t help but be drawn in and root for these people with all your heart, I definitely ugly cried reading this.
Such troubled characters written unbelievably well, Alex and Tabitha went through a lot of bad stuff throughout their lives and even after finding one and other they still had a lot to work through and sometimes they even hurt each other. However through it all one thing that remained was their love for one and other. This shows that if you want something you have to fight for it, things can be better and life doesn't have to be all bad, you can find happiness and heal from all the bad things in the past. My nerves were completely shot reading this book. I loved it, every single word of it drew me in it was heart-breaking, hope inspiring and everything in between. Absolutely amazing! 5 Huge Stars, more if it was allowed!!
Dear Tabitha is book two in Trudy Stiles’ Forever Family series. This book like the first is excellently written and covers very difficult topics in a respectful but informative manner. This story is a rollercoaster of emotion from the very beginning and I have to wonder if Trudy spent as much time crying while writing it as I did while reading it. Tabitha and Alex’s story is so full of raw emotion and angst that you couldn’t help but be drawn in and root for these people with all your heart, I definitely ugly cried reading this.
Such troubled characters written unbelievably well, Alex and Tabitha went through a lot of bad stuff throughout their lives and even after finding one and other they still had a lot to work through and sometimes they even hurt each other. However through it all one thing that remained was their love for one and other. This shows that if you want something you have to fight for it, things can be better and life doesn't have to be all bad, you can find happiness and heal from all the bad things in the past. My nerves were completely shot reading this book. I loved it, every single word of it drew me in it was heart-breaking, hope inspiring and everything in between. Absolutely amazing! 5 Huge Stars, more if it was allowed!!
June 16, 2015
Dear Tabitha is the continuation of Tabitha's story after the end of Dear Emily. I loved Dear Emily and I just had to see how Tabitha's story would play out so I jumped into this right away.
As with Dear Emily, there are parts of this story that are hard to read. Both Tabitha and Alex went though some horrific events as children/teenagers. It was absolutely heartbreaking at times, but not in a way that overshadows the whole book.
Let me just say that this author is a master at the past and present point of views. The flow of this book, even though it switches back and forth between characters and past/present, is seamless .
So, for me, it's on to the 3rd book, even though I am not a huge fan of I have no doubt about this author's ability to change my mind.
As with Dear Emily, there are parts of this story that are hard to read. Both Tabitha and Alex went though some horrific events as children/teenagers. It was absolutely heartbreaking at times, but not in a way that overshadows the whole book.
Let me just say that this author is a master at the past and present point of views. The flow of this book, even though it switches back and forth between characters and past/present, is seamless .
So, for me, it's on to the 3rd book, even though I am not a huge fan of I have no doubt about this author's ability to change my mind.
May 26, 2014
Trudy has done it again!
Dear Tabitha picks up about two years after Dear Emily.
Tabitha is finally settled and doing well. She is managing the bookstore, and learning how to survive on her own two feet. Then Alex comes back into Tabby's life and things get complicated all at once. Around the same time as Alex showing up, Tabby receives a letter that changes her life forever. This is a story about redemption, second chances, and forgivness. Tabitha is one of the most real female characters that have graced the pages of a book. If you loved Dear Emily, you will absolutely adore Dear Tabitha. You will be rooting for her to finally get the happily ever after that she so desperately deserves.
Dear Tabitha picks up about two years after Dear Emily.
Tabitha is finally settled and doing well. She is managing the bookstore, and learning how to survive on her own two feet. Then Alex comes back into Tabby's life and things get complicated all at once. Around the same time as Alex showing up, Tabby receives a letter that changes her life forever. This is a story about redemption, second chances, and forgivness. Tabitha is one of the most real female characters that have graced the pages of a book. If you loved Dear Emily, you will absolutely adore Dear Tabitha. You will be rooting for her to finally get the happily ever after that she so desperately deserves.
April 10, 2015
Beautiful conclusion to Tabitha's story.
January 31, 2016
3.5/5 Stars
April 24, 2014
I am seriously at a loss for words about this book. I read the first book in this series Dear Emily and really thought, there was no way this author could top that book. The emotions and feelings that Dear Emily created in me was just rare, it was beyond a reading experience for me. I have to say, Trudy out did herself with Dear Tabitha. I am sitting here with a mixture of raw emotions that this story caused in me.
If you have read the first book, which you must read, you already know Tabby has had a rough life. Dear Tabitha lets us know just how rough it has been for this young lady. We know she has had two daughters, both given up for adoption and has experienced more abuse and loss than a normal human being should have to endure. I knew in the first book she was a survivor, I didn’t realize till now just how strong that lady is. Even with every step she made in life, she never dreamed it would take her anywhere other than just surviving, but with all of the heart break and loss, her main focus was always making sure her daughters had more than she did.
Alex is back in the picture with this story. If you remember from the first book, he loved Tabby but some bad choices sent him away. He is back now to claim the answers he feels he deserves. Watching him get more than the truth he expected was heart breaking, but as I would expect from this man, he stood firm and was the gentle giant. If ever there was a man who portrayed real love and forgiveness, it is Alex. He might not be the alpha sexy man that women swoon over, but he is tops in my eyes for being a real man, who loves and protects what he adores.
Trudy is brilliant in her writing style. She had me not caring much about Tabby in the last book. I couldn’t understand her, but by the time I was a third of the way into this story I had not only connected with her, I felt I was her. She hurt, I hurt, she cried, I found I was crying. I have never wanted a happy ending for a character like I did Tabby. We were allowed to see the pieces in Tabby’s life come together and some of those pieces were so far gone, I didn’t even have hope that she would find them.
We were witness to what love really is, how blood doesn’t make you a family, the heart does. I broke down and cried when Alex realized what he lost, more like what was taken from him, but then the author brought us full circle with a new gift that he didn’t even know he wanted. The main message in this book is in the midst of pain and heartbreak; never lose sight of hope and redemption. For every sin Tabby thought she had done that would be unforgivable, she was given grace. For every scar and bruise Alex had felt in life, he was given joy and peace.
I can’t recommend this book enough. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I panicked, even to the point I couldn’t talk and tell my girls goodbye when they were heading out the door because I was in pure panic mode. It isn’t often that I am so engrossed in a book that I have to stop and talk to someone because the emotions are so overwhelming for me. To be captured by the story, to find peace in my own life and understanding about things I have wondered about is a rare find in a book. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this family that Trudy has created for all of us readers.
If you have read the first book, which you must read, you already know Tabby has had a rough life. Dear Tabitha lets us know just how rough it has been for this young lady. We know she has had two daughters, both given up for adoption and has experienced more abuse and loss than a normal human being should have to endure. I knew in the first book she was a survivor, I didn’t realize till now just how strong that lady is. Even with every step she made in life, she never dreamed it would take her anywhere other than just surviving, but with all of the heart break and loss, her main focus was always making sure her daughters had more than she did.
Alex is back in the picture with this story. If you remember from the first book, he loved Tabby but some bad choices sent him away. He is back now to claim the answers he feels he deserves. Watching him get more than the truth he expected was heart breaking, but as I would expect from this man, he stood firm and was the gentle giant. If ever there was a man who portrayed real love and forgiveness, it is Alex. He might not be the alpha sexy man that women swoon over, but he is tops in my eyes for being a real man, who loves and protects what he adores.
Trudy is brilliant in her writing style. She had me not caring much about Tabby in the last book. I couldn’t understand her, but by the time I was a third of the way into this story I had not only connected with her, I felt I was her. She hurt, I hurt, she cried, I found I was crying. I have never wanted a happy ending for a character like I did Tabby. We were allowed to see the pieces in Tabby’s life come together and some of those pieces were so far gone, I didn’t even have hope that she would find them.
We were witness to what love really is, how blood doesn’t make you a family, the heart does. I broke down and cried when Alex realized what he lost, more like what was taken from him, but then the author brought us full circle with a new gift that he didn’t even know he wanted. The main message in this book is in the midst of pain and heartbreak; never lose sight of hope and redemption. For every sin Tabby thought she had done that would be unforgivable, she was given grace. For every scar and bruise Alex had felt in life, he was given joy and peace.
I can’t recommend this book enough. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I panicked, even to the point I couldn’t talk and tell my girls goodbye when they were heading out the door because I was in pure panic mode. It isn’t often that I am so engrossed in a book that I have to stop and talk to someone because the emotions are so overwhelming for me. To be captured by the story, to find peace in my own life and understanding about things I have wondered about is a rare find in a book. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this family that Trudy has created for all of us readers.
April 27, 2015
We met Alex and Tabitha in Dear Emily and this is their journey.
Tabitha and Alex were two characters that showed the real meaning of survival. Reading about what they have been through since childhood was difficult. It made me think about how unfair life is sometimes. No one goes through what they did unscathed, but you can choose to be a survivor. Alex and Tabitha did exactly that. It was a long, arduous process, but they did.
Alex's childhood was dark and full of violence. In an ideal world, children are cherished and provided with love and attention. But Alex's reality was far from ideal. But for someone who learned how to block emotions and avoided getting attached, he was patient and supportive of Tabitha. He tried to help her conquer her demons when he had his own, he showed her how to feel loved when he hardly felt it himself, he gave her all of himself when he was used to not giving anything. Despite his past, Alex was the quintessential boyfriend.
The title carried Tabitha's name for a reason. Her character was more complex, more broken.. and she broke the hearts of two men who genuinely loved her. For the longest time, she allowed her past to define her, she allowed herself to be beaten down by the brutal realities of life. I emphatized with her pains in the first book, but I must admit that there was a part of me that didn't like her in book one.
This book was not meant to erase what she had been, but rather, it was her journey to finding the strength to be a better, stronger person, to acknowlege that she made mistakes and she allowed herself to be a victim, but most importantly, to finally recognize that she had the ability to change and control her life. This was her journey to finding out that she was not a victim, but a survivor.
I don't want to be nitpicking on tiny details but I was confused with the timeframe of some events. (Tabitha found out she was pregnant with her first child when she was 18, then when she was 24, the child was already 7 yrs old). But it didn't really take away anything from the story so that was okay I guess. Maybe it was just me and my poor math skills :-)
For me, Alex stole the show. I loved that he wasn't the typical rock star who slept around nor the broken hero who lived behind the shadows of his past. He was honest, generous with his love, yet his emotions were real too. He got angry, confused and harbored resentment just like anybody would in the predicament he found himself in, but he was open-minded and his love for Tabitha won out over every obstacle they had to face.
Some readers were annoyed at Seth, but I wasn't. He was a guy who had an unrequited love for his best friend. I think Tabitha needed to have Seth in her life to know that she was worthy, to see that there was a guy who loved her with all his heart, even knowing that she couldn't love him back. He was there to help her through her depression, to just take care of her even when he wasn't receiving the same attention from her. He deserved to get his own happily-ever-after.
Like I said, this book was a journey of one girl to find herself, her inner strength, and to learn how to forgive and love herself before she can fully accept that she deserved happiness. It was also a journey of two people who needed to fall apart so they can find each other again.
May 7, 2014
Just over five months ago, I had the pleasure of reading Dear Emily, the debut novel written by Trudy Stiles. Dear Emily is a story about two women whose lives have been woven together by fate – Tabitha Fletcher and Carly Sloan. I was extremely surprised by the emotions that I felt while reading this novel and equally impressed with how seamless the writing is as two alternating stories become one. Dear Emily is also a story of hope and love for Tabby’s unborn baby girl named Emily, and the dream of Carly and Kyle to have their own child. If you have not read Dear Emily, you will want to make sure that you read it before beginning the second novel of the Forever Family series, Dear Tabitha.
Over the course of her lifetime, Tabitha has experienced loss of family, physical abuse, emotional abuse, anxiety, loneliness and feelings of low self-worth. Because the events of Dear Tabitha take place a few years after the events of Dear Emily, we are able to see that Tabby has had time to become more stable – a happier and emotionally stronger individual. She has made peace with the incredibly difficult decisions she has had to make in her life.
The focus of Dear Tabitha is on Tabby, her relationship with Alex, and how the two of them make their own family. Trudy Stiles has once again chosen to alternate the story between two points of view – this time with Tabitha and Alex. We learn more about both of these extremely damaged characters by visiting them at different ages in life. This novel is an incredibly sweet story of redemption for both Tabby and Alex. It is a powerful story of healing, love and family. I felt a range of intense emotions while reading including anger, rage, sadness, love and joy. I found Dear Tabitha absolutely satisfying – and the best work yet for Trudy Stiles! 5 stars for Dear Tabitha!
Over the course of her lifetime, Tabitha has experienced loss of family, physical abuse, emotional abuse, anxiety, loneliness and feelings of low self-worth. Because the events of Dear Tabitha take place a few years after the events of Dear Emily, we are able to see that Tabby has had time to become more stable – a happier and emotionally stronger individual. She has made peace with the incredibly difficult decisions she has had to make in her life.
The focus of Dear Tabitha is on Tabby, her relationship with Alex, and how the two of them make their own family. Trudy Stiles has once again chosen to alternate the story between two points of view – this time with Tabitha and Alex. We learn more about both of these extremely damaged characters by visiting them at different ages in life. This novel is an incredibly sweet story of redemption for both Tabby and Alex. It is a powerful story of healing, love and family. I felt a range of intense emotions while reading including anger, rage, sadness, love and joy. I found Dear Tabitha absolutely satisfying – and the best work yet for Trudy Stiles! 5 stars for Dear Tabitha!
February 19, 2015
For all those who have read Book #1 in this series "Dear Emily" will know that Tabitha is Emily's mother and that she gave Emily up for adoption as she knew that she couldn't raise her by herself, it was a hard decision that she had to make but Tabitha did ensure that Emily went to an amazing home and her parents were great and continued to let Tabitha build a relationship with Emily. Dear Tabitha has a past and a present point of view. In the past we first see Tabitha's pre-relationship leading up to Emily's birth , from meeting Alex eight years ago to the current time. We also read about Alex's upbringing and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his Pop. The present is set two years after Emily's birth and the passing of Emily onto her adoptive parents. In Tabitha's story, we also learn about Sarah the daughter she was told she had been adopted and given away when she fell into a bad crowd and one mean guy in particular Tony who threatened to kill her. In present times, Tabitha has just recieved a letter from Tony's mother after all these years and what will be written inside the letter will turn Tabitha's life completely topsy-turvy and upside down. In Alex's story, we read about his abusive past and leading up to the time he first meet Tabitha, the time when he knew he was in love with her but of course Alex broke Tabitha's heart. Can he get Tabitha to forgive him ? In the present time , can Alex prove to Tabitha that she is his one and only and that no matter what obstacles that are chucked in their way, that he loves her so much he would do anything for her - even the possibility of having an instant family with her.
Dear Tabitha was another powerful read and that everyone who has ever gone through the adoption process or known the feeling of having someone they love ripped from their arms, or having a piece of them destroyed and eventually put back together will enjoy and find a moving tale.
Dear Tabitha was another powerful read and that everyone who has ever gone through the adoption process or known the feeling of having someone they love ripped from their arms, or having a piece of them destroyed and eventually put back together will enjoy and find a moving tale.
March 30, 2014
5++++ Stars!!
Trudy Stiles did it again. Just when I thought she couldn't top Dear Emily, she did. This was the absolute perfect conclusion to the story of Tabby and Alex. Dear Tabitha is the ultimate story of second chances, redemption, forgiveness and finding your happily ever after.
If I went into detail in this review it would spoil the book for you. Dear Tabitha is not a stand alone, you have to read Dear Emily first to truly understand this book. Tabitha's story is completely heartbreaking, and in Dear Emily we get some more insight to just how bad her past was, and some huge news that I never seen coming.
This book was so emotional. I cried quite a few times and was completely happy with how it ended. Trudy completely blew me away with her writing. She writes characters so well, that I felt that they were my best friends. When they cried I cried, when they were happy I was happy. There was one part in the book that I lost it, and full on ugly cried. I cannot wait to read Trudy's next book. She is definitely on my list of authors to move to the top of my TBR pile.
Stay tuned for Seth's book!
Copy gifted from Author in exchange for an honest review.
Trudy Stiles did it again. Just when I thought she couldn't top Dear Emily, she did. This was the absolute perfect conclusion to the story of Tabby and Alex. Dear Tabitha is the ultimate story of second chances, redemption, forgiveness and finding your happily ever after.
If I went into detail in this review it would spoil the book for you. Dear Tabitha is not a stand alone, you have to read Dear Emily first to truly understand this book. Tabitha's story is completely heartbreaking, and in Dear Emily we get some more insight to just how bad her past was, and some huge news that I never seen coming.
This book was so emotional. I cried quite a few times and was completely happy with how it ended. Trudy completely blew me away with her writing. She writes characters so well, that I felt that they were my best friends. When they cried I cried, when they were happy I was happy. There was one part in the book that I lost it, and full on ugly cried. I cannot wait to read Trudy's next book. She is definitely on my list of authors to move to the top of my TBR pile.
Stay tuned for Seth's book!
Copy gifted from Author in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2016
I really wanted to love this one like the did the previous book in this series, Dear Emily. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me. I liked it and was happy about how things ultimately ended up, but it didn't keep my attention at all times. There was too much back and forth between past at multiple different time periods then to the present. I found myself rushing through certain sections to get to the present day story and it really made me disconnect from what was happening. I felt like the story fell flat and the dialogue was really bland. It just lacked personality and that oomph. I don't think I'll be continuing the series, the next book is a companion about a character I never really cared for to begin with.
March 31, 2014
I am at a loss for words, I have to say that Dear Emily was probably my all time favorite book....then Trudy Stiles did it again. After reading Dear Tabitha, I seriously had to catch my breath. I cried....a lot, happy cry, ugly cry then I cried just to cry. Trudy is truly one of the most amazing talented authors there is, I think I cried more at the fact that I am only allowed to give 5 stars, because it deserves so much more. Thank you once again Trudy for writing something that I can't put down, something that has had such a deep impact on me. once again I am in complete awe.
April 28, 2015
1st let me explain I was emotional going into this book I read Dear Emily and we meet Tabitha there. My heart broke for this girl it still breaks for her to get her story to see and meet Alex and Seth and the struggles she goes through. My heart hurts. Now as tragic as it sounds is as beautiful as it is. What a compelling and powerful story. The journey we take the emotions you feel the happiness you need. Must read
March 27, 2014
Trudy Stiles continuation of her Forever Family series with book 2, Dear Tabitha, is just beautiful. Don't get me wrong. There are major ups and downs in this story, but it IS beautiful. And there are surprises around each corner...a great continuation from Dear Emily!
March 30, 2014
Such a beautiful story. I loved every minute of it! Well done!!!
April 20, 2015
I'm a glutton for punishment. I knew this would happen. I waited and waited and waited to read Dear Tabitha because I knew that it would gut me. I knew there would be no way that Trudy Stiles could elicit all those emotions from me in Dear Emily and NOT do it again in Dear Tabitha. I mean come on this is Tabitha's story after all. We already knew it wasn't pretty. But could I stay away? Of course not! Why you ask? The answer is easy....
Alex
I had to know Alex's story. Where would Tabitha end up? Would she get her happily ever after? What about Alex? Would they end up together or remain apart? Could anyone survive the aftermath of what Tabitha had done? Did she deserve to be happy? Did Alex? What was Alex's background? Could two obviously broken people help each other love and heal from their pasts? I had so many questions that only the author could answers. So that left me with no choice. I HAD to read Dear Tabitha.
So now I'm finished with Dear Tabitha. I've had time to reflect. My shirt is dry from all my crying. Slowly my heart has begun to beat again. The author.....how do I put into words what this story did to me? Trudy Stiles, is, well, she's amazing. She managed to rip open my chest and remove my heart. She held it in her hands and squeezed it. She poked it. She stabbed it. Then just when I thought it couldn't take any more, she threw it on the floor and stomped all over it. It was only after I finished the story, that she very delicately picked it back up, wiped off so very gently, stuck some band-aids on it and carefully put it back inside my chest.
I suddenly don't remember what she did to me. To us, I don't want to remember because I just want to be with her. But her feelings are clear. I'm torn up and broken all over again.
Alex comes back home to Philly. Once home, he can't keep himself from seeking out Tabitha. Only she doesn't quite welcome him with open arms. Nope not Tabitha...that would be too easy and we all know by now that Tabitha doesn't do easy, EVER! She's shocked to see Alex. She's worked really hard to get to where she's at mentally and physically. She's really pulled her life together in the almost 3 years that Alex has been gone. I was really happy to see this Tabitha. The strong Tabitha. This girl turned woman was independent, resolved, reformed, and not willing to go back to that dark place she once lived.
He takes a deep breath and I watch his chest rise and fall. I want to squeeze next to him and place my head over his heart. I want to know that it still beats for me, like mine has for him all of these years.
Of course she still has feelings for Alex. You can't just tell your heart to stop loving someone. But does she deserve to love Alex? Especially after what she did to him? Doesn't he deserve someone better? See? Maybe some people are too broken to be together. Maybe love doesn't matter after all. Tabitha knows that once she makes her confession to Alex he's going to leave her. But what more could she possibly expect? Her confession is HUGE. You don't just shrug it off and say no problem. You can't just pick up the pieces and move on.
My heart races when I think about that scene. Alex and his struggle to understand what we all already knew from Dear Emily. I don't know about you but I secretly hoped that Emily was Seth's. That way maybe Alex's heart could be protected. But we still don't know who the father is and so we have to witness what happens when Tabitha finally confesses every thing to Alex.
"Goodbye, Tabs," I say maybe for the last time. She gasps but I don't turn around. I. Just. Leave.
I didn't blame him. I was actually really impressed with his response to Tabitha's confession. I cannot begin to imagine how I would feel in his shoes. Anger, hurt, frustration, sadness, even guilt, a lot of shock....it's just too much....the pain he must have felt. Grappling with the loss of something he never had. For a child that might not even be his.
"I didn't even get to say goodbye." This realization hits me the hardest and more tears slide down my cheeks.
"Should I trust that she made the right decision for all of us?"......."Did she think I'd try to fight for my daughter? If she is my daughter."
All I could think while reading this story was that there was no way...no way these two could ever pull it together enough to move on. To forgive each other and build a life together. There was just way to much baggage and that baggage was too big for anyone to overcome. Alex was his own kind of broken. We learn about his childhood and how he became the broody rocker we met in Dear Emily. His story is no less horrific than Emily's. His demons are real and just. Because they could very well be hereditary. His foundation however, was a little more stable than Tabitha's. I think that's why the scene with Emily's adoptive parents, Kyle and Carly, was so gut wrenching. I really succumbed to my emotions at that point. I think that may have been when I connected with Alex the most.
It's at this point where Ms. Stiles decided she wasn't done with me. She actually cranks it up a notch and it's only then that I realize she's going to do the unthinkable. But even that wasn't enough for the author. You want to know what really did me in? What left me in a puddle of my own tears while my husband slept peacefully next to me?
Seth's Chapter.
I was left sobbing my friends. My throat actually hurt from trying not to make any noise. I was so out of control that my husband woke up, without a word he put his arm around me and snuggled. Only then did I realize, Tabitha finally got what she wanted.
Redemption. Family. Love.
*A copy of this book was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
March 30, 2014
In Dear Tabitha, Trudy Stiles gives us a beautiful conclusion to Tabitha's story, so make sure you read Dear Emily first. It's been over 2 years since one moment of weakness lead to the destruction of her relationship with Alex, since she broke Seth's heart and since she made the difficult, brave and selfless decision to give Emily to Carly and Kyle. In that amount of time a lot can happen and people can change.
I really believe Alex leaving was the catalyst Tabitha needed to take charge of her life. While it didn't happen right away, Tabitha slowly started taking the steps needed to take back control of her life, of her destiny. Knowing she could never return Seth's love while her heart still beat for Alex yet terrified of being alone she still choose to be honest with him and ended their relationship once and for all. Still reeling from the loss of Sara yet knowing Emily deserved a strong, confident mother and father who can provide for her she courageously choose to give Emily to Carly and Kyle. At the end of Dear Emily you see Tabitha is already more strong. It's as though through the destruction of the demise of her and Alex she finds herself at rock bottom, but at her core she is a fighter, a survivor and even heartbroken and depressed she finds herself choosing to fight, to never find herself in this position again, to be strong and to one day be able to have a family of her own. She may not have any control over Alex or the decisions of her past but she does get a voice in her future, a voice she is finally ready to possess.
In this second book Tabitha emerges stronger, more confident, at peace with her decision to give Emily away. While she is living alone and single she has the support of some close friends, she really is making a better life for herself and she is finally happy. The new Tabitha chooses to be honest, to express her feelings no matter how hard it may be. She's no longer scared, at least not until Alex unexpectedly shows up at her door. Why is he here? What doe he want? Will he leave again once the truth is revealed?
I loved hearing this story told in alternating POV's from Alex and Tabitha, both present day and past perspectives. I feel like I learned so much about Alex. You get to see the demons from his past, which he battles on a regular basis. You learn why he left Tabitha and how his decision to end things affected his own life. Honestly his story is just as heartbreaking as Tabitha's, and I believe its this common thread of suffering that allows them to speak to one another's soul. Alex is struggling with Tabitha's betrayal yet he still cares about her, thinks about her all the time, wants her back in his life but isn't sure he can really forgive her for wrecking him and throwing his love for her away. Since leaving her his life has been spiraling out of control. Exhausted and on a break from tour he finds himself at her doorstep, but he isn't sure what he hopes to find when she answers the door. Is he hoping she looks as miserable as he feels? Does he want to lash out at her again for throwing away something so good and perfect? Or is he there because he is still in love with her and is hoping to get her back?
Needless to say when Tabitha answers the door Alex is completely shocked, all the hate and resentment he has been dealing with vanishes and his heart pushes him to win her back. While he is surprised to see the new Tabitha he is also so proud of her and admires her strength, he cannot help but ache to be closer, to hold her in his arms once again. But things aren't always easy and when the truth comes out neither one knows whether or not Alex will be able to forgive her and move forward with any kind of relationship.
When I sat down to start this book it was late and I planned to only read a few chapters and then pick the rest up in the morning, but let me tell you Trudy Stiles completely sucked me in and I read the entire book cover to cover, without putting it down even once. I was so vested in the story, I couldn't help but to keep on reading to find out how Tabitha was going to deal with everything life kept dishing her way. Alex's reappearance in her life isn't the only curve ball she is thrown. Its as though the universe wants to test her strength, to find out if she is really ready for her own happily ever after and if she is going to fight for it. I liked this new Tabitha, I was so proud of her and I rooted for her along every step of the journey. I appreciated seeing her determination even in her moments of weakness, I think it made her character more "real."
In hearing from Alex's perspective, of his past and his struggles with the truth in his present I really feel like I was able to experience his growth, I felt even more connected to him in this story. I better understood him as a person and thus his actions. I loved watching him step up and become the man Tabitha needed, the man she deserved. I appreciated getting a firsthand look into his apprehensions and rejoiced when he finally took courage to go after the life he always wanted.
At times this book brought me to tears, tears of both happiness and heartbreak. It also managed to completely shock me, so much so that I had to stop and re-read a couple of times just to make sure I was reading it correctly. Trudy Stiles doesn't hold back and isn't afraid to test her characters and push their boundaries, and I loved every minute of it! All questions are answered and all loose-ends are nicely tied up. Hearing the epilogue from Seth's perspective was an interesting turn of events and I found myself enjoying getting to see the scenario play out through his eyes. This is a must read book for anyone who read Dear Emily and those who haven't what are you waiting on? These stories are completely unique, heartbreakingly beautiful and very well written.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
http://romancerewind.blogspot.com/201...
I really believe Alex leaving was the catalyst Tabitha needed to take charge of her life. While it didn't happen right away, Tabitha slowly started taking the steps needed to take back control of her life, of her destiny. Knowing she could never return Seth's love while her heart still beat for Alex yet terrified of being alone she still choose to be honest with him and ended their relationship once and for all. Still reeling from the loss of Sara yet knowing Emily deserved a strong, confident mother and father who can provide for her she courageously choose to give Emily to Carly and Kyle. At the end of Dear Emily you see Tabitha is already more strong. It's as though through the destruction of the demise of her and Alex she finds herself at rock bottom, but at her core she is a fighter, a survivor and even heartbroken and depressed she finds herself choosing to fight, to never find herself in this position again, to be strong and to one day be able to have a family of her own. She may not have any control over Alex or the decisions of her past but she does get a voice in her future, a voice she is finally ready to possess.
In this second book Tabitha emerges stronger, more confident, at peace with her decision to give Emily away. While she is living alone and single she has the support of some close friends, she really is making a better life for herself and she is finally happy. The new Tabitha chooses to be honest, to express her feelings no matter how hard it may be. She's no longer scared, at least not until Alex unexpectedly shows up at her door. Why is he here? What doe he want? Will he leave again once the truth is revealed?
I loved hearing this story told in alternating POV's from Alex and Tabitha, both present day and past perspectives. I feel like I learned so much about Alex. You get to see the demons from his past, which he battles on a regular basis. You learn why he left Tabitha and how his decision to end things affected his own life. Honestly his story is just as heartbreaking as Tabitha's, and I believe its this common thread of suffering that allows them to speak to one another's soul. Alex is struggling with Tabitha's betrayal yet he still cares about her, thinks about her all the time, wants her back in his life but isn't sure he can really forgive her for wrecking him and throwing his love for her away. Since leaving her his life has been spiraling out of control. Exhausted and on a break from tour he finds himself at her doorstep, but he isn't sure what he hopes to find when she answers the door. Is he hoping she looks as miserable as he feels? Does he want to lash out at her again for throwing away something so good and perfect? Or is he there because he is still in love with her and is hoping to get her back?
Needless to say when Tabitha answers the door Alex is completely shocked, all the hate and resentment he has been dealing with vanishes and his heart pushes him to win her back. While he is surprised to see the new Tabitha he is also so proud of her and admires her strength, he cannot help but ache to be closer, to hold her in his arms once again. But things aren't always easy and when the truth comes out neither one knows whether or not Alex will be able to forgive her and move forward with any kind of relationship.
When I sat down to start this book it was late and I planned to only read a few chapters and then pick the rest up in the morning, but let me tell you Trudy Stiles completely sucked me in and I read the entire book cover to cover, without putting it down even once. I was so vested in the story, I couldn't help but to keep on reading to find out how Tabitha was going to deal with everything life kept dishing her way. Alex's reappearance in her life isn't the only curve ball she is thrown. Its as though the universe wants to test her strength, to find out if she is really ready for her own happily ever after and if she is going to fight for it. I liked this new Tabitha, I was so proud of her and I rooted for her along every step of the journey. I appreciated seeing her determination even in her moments of weakness, I think it made her character more "real."
In hearing from Alex's perspective, of his past and his struggles with the truth in his present I really feel like I was able to experience his growth, I felt even more connected to him in this story. I better understood him as a person and thus his actions. I loved watching him step up and become the man Tabitha needed, the man she deserved. I appreciated getting a firsthand look into his apprehensions and rejoiced when he finally took courage to go after the life he always wanted.
At times this book brought me to tears, tears of both happiness and heartbreak. It also managed to completely shock me, so much so that I had to stop and re-read a couple of times just to make sure I was reading it correctly. Trudy Stiles doesn't hold back and isn't afraid to test her characters and push their boundaries, and I loved every minute of it! All questions are answered and all loose-ends are nicely tied up. Hearing the epilogue from Seth's perspective was an interesting turn of events and I found myself enjoying getting to see the scenario play out through his eyes. This is a must read book for anyone who read Dear Emily and those who haven't what are you waiting on? These stories are completely unique, heartbreakingly beautiful and very well written.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
http://romancerewind.blogspot.com/201...
March 18, 2016
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
My urge to comfort her suddenly turns to a deep need. Desire. She was mine once, and my soul suddenly feels as if she still is. My heart pounds in my chest for this girl who was my everything.
You know those authors who come out of the gate swinging, delivering a darn near perfect debut novel, and you wonder how they can possibly ever top it? Well folks, Trudy Stiles doesn’t play around. She leaves a wave of destruction in her path through this angst filled, redemption forthcoming, heartbreaking, eye-opening second novel. Dear Tabitha is truly a book you NEED to read and one you won’t soon forget. Do you know the old saying? Every once in a while in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale? Well every once in a while, when you least expect it, an author gives you the perfect book. A story filled with so many emotions, so many twists and turns, that you are literally gasping for breath until the final page has turned.
I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tight against me. I suddenly realize something that she’s probably not ready to hear.
I love her.
Dear Emily was the story of two women, one very special little girl, and the bond that brought them together. Told in dual POV, we barely skimmed the surface of the life that Tabitha has led. As heartbreaking as her tale was, it’s only going to get worse. Stiles doesn’t ease you into this book; no, she hits the ground running. Page after page I turned, hoping for some relief for my poor heart, but the tension just continued. As he was absent in the first book, I longed to read about Alex. We knew the broad details of why he was absent, but not what made him tick or where he was now. The beauty of this book is that it was once again told in dual POV, but this time it was Tabitha and Alex. Let me tell you; he was well worth the wait! Actually, I am mistaken. Technically, it was told with four POV’s; Tabitha’s past and present, and Alex’s past and present. If there’s one thing you take away from this book let it be this: sometimes in order to move forward in the present, you have to reconcile your past. Though we are reliving what brought them to this moment through their eyes, I felt like it was more of a retrospective for the reader. Tabitha isn’t the same self-destructive, screw the world mentality girl that we left in Dear Emily. We see it, her friends see it, Alex sees it, but most importantly, SHE sees is. While we left a shell of a girl, we return to a beauty of a woman. Inside and out, Tabitha’s heart truly is pure. Life has beaten her down but she’s still alive and kicking.
My past and my future are behind that door.
Ah!!!!! There are just so many things that I want to say in this review, but the details have to stop at this point. Believe me when I say that there are some major things that happen, and mentioning even one of them would be a huge disservice to you. Because to truly experience this book, you have to have the jaw-dropping, heart pounding moments that I did. This is one of those books where you are going to be constantly looking around each corner, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until the epilogue I can honestly say there wasn’t a second I read without trepidation. Delicious, heartwarming, pulse pounding trepidation. And I loved every second of it!
“I love you. I don’t know any other way to put it, but I can’t stop loving you. I want to share these moments with you and grow with you, Tabs. Please, let’s not waste any more time.”
I will leave you with this: the emotions displayed between Alex and Tabitha, when they allowed their walls to crumble and their hearts to open, were enough to make the darkest of hearts smile. Here were two people with pasts SO dark that for all intents and purposes should have just given up on life, yet they were draw to each other, as if there were ever any other choice. As if there were ever ANY way they could NOT be together. Life isn’t always rainbows and kittens folks; I hate to break it to you. But maybe, just maybe, life hands us crap so that we can better appreciate when the good things DO come along. Because how can you truly grasp the gravity of greatness unless you’ve see what lies on the other side?
This was a story of forgiveness, redemption, and growth. It wasn’t until I neared the end of the book that I fully understood the gravity behind the titles of the books. In Dear Emily, she is writing letters that will not only change her life, but all of those around her. She was coming to terms with her decision, as painful as it was. She was making the choice to put someone else’s needs before her own. She was growing up. In Dear Tabitha, once again, letters are being written, and once again, those letters will change lives. One little letter changed the course of her entire life and everything she thought she knew. Little letters after that gave Tabitha her life back. Words on sheets of paper allowed Tabitha to come full circle, and what the outcome of that was, well, you’ll just have to read to find out for yourself. Just know this: it wrecked me, completely and utterly wrecked me. And I’m a better person for it.
I’m exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. Where I’m supposed to be. Our forever starts now.
My urge to comfort her suddenly turns to a deep need. Desire. She was mine once, and my soul suddenly feels as if she still is. My heart pounds in my chest for this girl who was my everything.
You know those authors who come out of the gate swinging, delivering a darn near perfect debut novel, and you wonder how they can possibly ever top it? Well folks, Trudy Stiles doesn’t play around. She leaves a wave of destruction in her path through this angst filled, redemption forthcoming, heartbreaking, eye-opening second novel. Dear Tabitha is truly a book you NEED to read and one you won’t soon forget. Do you know the old saying? Every once in a while in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale? Well every once in a while, when you least expect it, an author gives you the perfect book. A story filled with so many emotions, so many twists and turns, that you are literally gasping for breath until the final page has turned.
I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tight against me. I suddenly realize something that she’s probably not ready to hear.
I love her.
Dear Emily was the story of two women, one very special little girl, and the bond that brought them together. Told in dual POV, we barely skimmed the surface of the life that Tabitha has led. As heartbreaking as her tale was, it’s only going to get worse. Stiles doesn’t ease you into this book; no, she hits the ground running. Page after page I turned, hoping for some relief for my poor heart, but the tension just continued. As he was absent in the first book, I longed to read about Alex. We knew the broad details of why he was absent, but not what made him tick or where he was now. The beauty of this book is that it was once again told in dual POV, but this time it was Tabitha and Alex. Let me tell you; he was well worth the wait! Actually, I am mistaken. Technically, it was told with four POV’s; Tabitha’s past and present, and Alex’s past and present. If there’s one thing you take away from this book let it be this: sometimes in order to move forward in the present, you have to reconcile your past. Though we are reliving what brought them to this moment through their eyes, I felt like it was more of a retrospective for the reader. Tabitha isn’t the same self-destructive, screw the world mentality girl that we left in Dear Emily. We see it, her friends see it, Alex sees it, but most importantly, SHE sees is. While we left a shell of a girl, we return to a beauty of a woman. Inside and out, Tabitha’s heart truly is pure. Life has beaten her down but she’s still alive and kicking.
My past and my future are behind that door.
Ah!!!!! There are just so many things that I want to say in this review, but the details have to stop at this point. Believe me when I say that there are some major things that happen, and mentioning even one of them would be a huge disservice to you. Because to truly experience this book, you have to have the jaw-dropping, heart pounding moments that I did. This is one of those books where you are going to be constantly looking around each corner, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until the epilogue I can honestly say there wasn’t a second I read without trepidation. Delicious, heartwarming, pulse pounding trepidation. And I loved every second of it!
“I love you. I don’t know any other way to put it, but I can’t stop loving you. I want to share these moments with you and grow with you, Tabs. Please, let’s not waste any more time.”
I will leave you with this: the emotions displayed between Alex and Tabitha, when they allowed their walls to crumble and their hearts to open, were enough to make the darkest of hearts smile. Here were two people with pasts SO dark that for all intents and purposes should have just given up on life, yet they were draw to each other, as if there were ever any other choice. As if there were ever ANY way they could NOT be together. Life isn’t always rainbows and kittens folks; I hate to break it to you. But maybe, just maybe, life hands us crap so that we can better appreciate when the good things DO come along. Because how can you truly grasp the gravity of greatness unless you’ve see what lies on the other side?
This was a story of forgiveness, redemption, and growth. It wasn’t until I neared the end of the book that I fully understood the gravity behind the titles of the books. In Dear Emily, she is writing letters that will not only change her life, but all of those around her. She was coming to terms with her decision, as painful as it was. She was making the choice to put someone else’s needs before her own. She was growing up. In Dear Tabitha, once again, letters are being written, and once again, those letters will change lives. One little letter changed the course of her entire life and everything she thought she knew. Little letters after that gave Tabitha her life back. Words on sheets of paper allowed Tabitha to come full circle, and what the outcome of that was, well, you’ll just have to read to find out for yourself. Just know this: it wrecked me, completely and utterly wrecked me. And I’m a better person for it.
I’m exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. Where I’m supposed to be. Our forever starts now.
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