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Flightless
Everyone has a story.
Mine went like this: Once upon a time, I met a boy. He was the most handsome fella in the land. I fell in love. Together, we had cosmic chemistry. I believed I would live a life of unending bliss. Until he broke my heart. Shattered it to pieces. And I lived unhappily ever after instead. The end.
Or so I thought.
Life found a way to reunite us. But to change that unhappy ending, I had to learn how to forgive. And my heart seemed unable to do so.
This is a love story. But it is also, much more. It’s the story of how I coped with my shortcomings, my fears and rewrote my destiny. Everyone has a story. This is mine.
Mine went like this: Once upon a time, I met a boy. He was the most handsome fella in the land. I fell in love. Together, we had cosmic chemistry. I believed I would live a life of unending bliss. Until he broke my heart. Shattered it to pieces. And I lived unhappily ever after instead. The end.
Or so I thought.
Life found a way to reunite us. But to change that unhappy ending, I had to learn how to forgive. And my heart seemed unable to do so.
This is a love story. But it is also, much more. It’s the story of how I coped with my shortcomings, my fears and rewrote my destiny. Everyone has a story. This is mine.
217 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2017
11 people are currently reading
522 people want to read
About the author
L. Duarte
7 books230 followersI have found that there is only one thing better than reading, and that is writing. I am always torn between the two. I am also frequently torn between chocolate and coffee. However, I emphatically do not like the month of February, lies, and flies. For me, bravery is defined by the courage to do what we fear the most. I live in Connecticut with my husband and two children. Drop a few lines. I would love to hear from you.
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February 7, 2017
Flightless, by L. Duarte, is one of those books that just grabs ahold of your heart and doesn’t let go. You don’t really even know when it happens. I didn’t anyway. But by about the half way point, I realized that the characters of this book had taken over my mind and my heart, and I wouldn’t be able to rest until I finished the book to see how their story ends.
Gray Davis was an internationally renowned, Grammy award winning superstar. She lived a life that most people dream of. But she wasn’t happy. She hadn’t been happy for ten long years. She hadn’t been happy since ‘he’ broke her heart. But when her mother called and said she was sick, Gray dropped everything, canceled everything, and went home to the small town of Misty where she grew up but hadn’t been back for ten years. She went home to help her mother, even though she knew she would have to see him.
“Why wasn’t I happy? I thought I would find happiness when I found success, but I hadn’t. If I was honest, I was sadder than ever.”
Galel Asner had achieved his goal of becoming a doctor. He had stayed in Misty and tried to be happy. But he never got over her. He never forgave himself for what happened. He knew she was back, and he knew just where to go to run into her. He always knew just where to find her.
This is such a fantastic story. I won’t lie. It did rip my heart out for awhile, but then put it back together. But it was way more than just a love story. It’s obvious that these two were soul mates. That they were supposed to be together. I’ve never wanted anything more than for them to find forgiveness and let the past go. But there was more to their story. There is something else that could ruin their future, something no one saw coming.
“As I have discovered, the world with its imperfections is impossibly beautiful. The ugliness serves a purpose. It highlights the world’s beauty.”
This book made my heart pound, made my tummy twirl, and made me hold on tight. You just HAVE to read this one! You will fall in love with Gray and Galel and their story just as I did. I also absolutely fell in love with Gray’s mom. She was such a wonder. There were times during the book that I wanted to dislike Galel. But don’t pass judgement. NOTHING is as it seems and you have to hold on until the very end.
I hope you give this book a chance. Put it on your lists and download it on release day. I have a feeling Gray and Galel and their story will grab your heart, just as it did mine!
Gray Davis was an internationally renowned, Grammy award winning superstar. She lived a life that most people dream of. But she wasn’t happy. She hadn’t been happy for ten long years. She hadn’t been happy since ‘he’ broke her heart. But when her mother called and said she was sick, Gray dropped everything, canceled everything, and went home to the small town of Misty where she grew up but hadn’t been back for ten years. She went home to help her mother, even though she knew she would have to see him.
“Why wasn’t I happy? I thought I would find happiness when I found success, but I hadn’t. If I was honest, I was sadder than ever.”
Galel Asner had achieved his goal of becoming a doctor. He had stayed in Misty and tried to be happy. But he never got over her. He never forgave himself for what happened. He knew she was back, and he knew just where to go to run into her. He always knew just where to find her.
This is such a fantastic story. I won’t lie. It did rip my heart out for awhile, but then put it back together. But it was way more than just a love story. It’s obvious that these two were soul mates. That they were supposed to be together. I’ve never wanted anything more than for them to find forgiveness and let the past go. But there was more to their story. There is something else that could ruin their future, something no one saw coming.
“As I have discovered, the world with its imperfections is impossibly beautiful. The ugliness serves a purpose. It highlights the world’s beauty.”
This book made my heart pound, made my tummy twirl, and made me hold on tight. You just HAVE to read this one! You will fall in love with Gray and Galel and their story just as I did. I also absolutely fell in love with Gray’s mom. She was such a wonder. There were times during the book that I wanted to dislike Galel. But don’t pass judgement. NOTHING is as it seems and you have to hold on until the very end.
I hope you give this book a chance. Put it on your lists and download it on release day. I have a feeling Gray and Galel and their story will grab your heart, just as it did mine!
February 6, 2017
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“I never met anyone who could speak so much with silence.”
Superstar, singer and songwriter, Gray Davis cancels all of her tour dates and returns home to deal with family. She returns to a place that she never dreamed of coming back to. A place where she could run into him. Galel Asner. He broke her heart. Into pieces that never mended. And he has never forgiven himself. So when she sees him in the very exact spot where she needed him the most, she is taken back by how the feelings come rushing back, but her heart is not ready to forgive. And she’s not sure it ever will.
“The very absence of you in my life is the greatest source of pain. Being with you would never be oblivion.”
Gray and Galel’s story is unlike anything you’ve ever read. It’s seamlessly told between past and present, allowing the reader to see how their love came to be and how it fell apart. You are placed deep within their heartbreak. Without going into the detail of the plot, this book is heartbreaking, yet one of the most beautiful and heartfelt stories you will ever read. There are many twists and turns that you never see coming. There is a backstory to everything and nothing is at it seems. I found myself completely consumed by this book. Your heart will beat for this Gray and Gale’s story. It will move you. It’s so much more than a story of lost love, hope and forgiveness. It’s an experience.
“I flew through infinity. Time, space, became boundless because my soul, when united with Galel’s, became unlimited.”
Despite his actions so long ago, Galel’s love has never been so strong. So determined. The guilt he carries is heavy and you feel it throughout the book. And Gray’s reluctance to look at him the way she once did is unwavering. There is an intensity that’s felt when these two get together. Even with what occurred in their past, their electricity still remains. And Galel wants nothing more for Gray to see how much heart still belongs to him. To feel how strong his heart still beats for her. His soul is tethered to hers. And you feel it with every declaration of love he makes. He loves Gray fiercely. His love protects. Covets. Consumes. But is love enough? Can his love overcome what kept them apart so long ago?
“The feelings I had for Galel were more than love. They were a dependency, madness, sickness. Or perhaps it was true love defined. An unrepentant insanity that lurked inside the soul and could not be purged.”
I got lost in the words of this book. It reads like poetry. I was mesmerized. Completely engrossed within the story. The author writes in such vivid colors. You see everything she writes. Her words are loud when they need to be. And when they are silent, you still hear and feel everything. Her words and the emotions she elicits simply jump off of the pages. The author writes with such purpose and meaning. And this is felt with the thoughtful development of her characters and the execution of the story itself.
“And together, we were in unison with the infinite and massive universe. There was no beginning and no ending, for we were our very own alpha and omega.”
Flightless is a deep and poignant story. One that I will never forget and will stay with me for a long time to come. Even with darkness, there is light. Gray and Galel’s story is a testament to all that love can endure and overcome. It’s a reminder that even when evil tries to destroy, love always prevails. Destiny always overrules. Everything. Every time. If I could, I would talk of this authors words forever.
“I never met anyone who could speak so much with silence.”
Superstar, singer and songwriter, Gray Davis cancels all of her tour dates and returns home to deal with family. She returns to a place that she never dreamed of coming back to. A place where she could run into him. Galel Asner. He broke her heart. Into pieces that never mended. And he has never forgiven himself. So when she sees him in the very exact spot where she needed him the most, she is taken back by how the feelings come rushing back, but her heart is not ready to forgive. And she’s not sure it ever will.
“The very absence of you in my life is the greatest source of pain. Being with you would never be oblivion.”
Gray and Galel’s story is unlike anything you’ve ever read. It’s seamlessly told between past and present, allowing the reader to see how their love came to be and how it fell apart. You are placed deep within their heartbreak. Without going into the detail of the plot, this book is heartbreaking, yet one of the most beautiful and heartfelt stories you will ever read. There are many twists and turns that you never see coming. There is a backstory to everything and nothing is at it seems. I found myself completely consumed by this book. Your heart will beat for this Gray and Gale’s story. It will move you. It’s so much more than a story of lost love, hope and forgiveness. It’s an experience.
“I flew through infinity. Time, space, became boundless because my soul, when united with Galel’s, became unlimited.”
Despite his actions so long ago, Galel’s love has never been so strong. So determined. The guilt he carries is heavy and you feel it throughout the book. And Gray’s reluctance to look at him the way she once did is unwavering. There is an intensity that’s felt when these two get together. Even with what occurred in their past, their electricity still remains. And Galel wants nothing more for Gray to see how much heart still belongs to him. To feel how strong his heart still beats for her. His soul is tethered to hers. And you feel it with every declaration of love he makes. He loves Gray fiercely. His love protects. Covets. Consumes. But is love enough? Can his love overcome what kept them apart so long ago?
“The feelings I had for Galel were more than love. They were a dependency, madness, sickness. Or perhaps it was true love defined. An unrepentant insanity that lurked inside the soul and could not be purged.”
I got lost in the words of this book. It reads like poetry. I was mesmerized. Completely engrossed within the story. The author writes in such vivid colors. You see everything she writes. Her words are loud when they need to be. And when they are silent, you still hear and feel everything. Her words and the emotions she elicits simply jump off of the pages. The author writes with such purpose and meaning. And this is felt with the thoughtful development of her characters and the execution of the story itself.
“And together, we were in unison with the infinite and massive universe. There was no beginning and no ending, for we were our very own alpha and omega.”
Flightless is a deep and poignant story. One that I will never forget and will stay with me for a long time to come. Even with darkness, there is light. Gray and Galel’s story is a testament to all that love can endure and overcome. It’s a reminder that even when evil tries to destroy, love always prevails. Destiny always overrules. Everything. Every time. If I could, I would talk of this authors words forever.
December 30, 2016
Review by Lisa Kane
4.5 Loved it Stars!
And no matter what we smear on our faces, what we drape on our bodies, the dye we use on our hair, the precious gems we adorn our bodies with, or the ink we put in our flesh, the beginning and the ending of everyone is equal. We all will turn back into dust.
I have not read any of this author's previous works, but if they are anything like this one, I am going to have to fix that!
Gray Davis was abandoned at birth, in a graveyard covered by leaves. A dog found her tiny body. The nurse who took care of her in the hospital eventually adopted her.
The hospital staff called me the Graveyard Miracle. Soon after, Gray for short. It stuck.
Gray was teased about her beginnings, but small towns often have small minds. When she was in high school, she literally bumped into the guy she had been crushing on for years (or at least her head bumped into his locker door!) Galel was the stuff dreams were made of-they became friends, then lovers. Gray thought they were forever, until Galel destroyed her.
It's ten years later and Gray has never returned to her home in Mystic Connecticut. She went on to follow her dreams of making music and she's now "Gray" one of the biggest, most successful singers in the world. Her heart never healed after Galel took a sledgehammer to it. She knows all about him because her mother still insists on dropping hints at his life. He stayed in town and became a skilled oncologist at Yale. But her mom has just admitted that she has breast cancer and Gray has cancelled her tour. She's coming home to take care of her mother. Guess who's part of the oncology team treating her mom?
No, sweetie, you abandoned your pain in this town. It would be too painful to return. I would never ask that of you.
But Gray knows she is no longer that same girl as the one she left behind.
I was a woman now. I was a different person. An adult. A successful musician. I had reaped the fruits of every dream I dared to dream slouched on this very spot, staring out this same window. Why wasn't I happy? I thought I would find happiness when I found success. But I hadn't. If I was honest, I was sadder than ever.
She's held herself back from moving on, trapped in the past.
It had been ten years, a failed marriage, a hefty psychiatric bill, five million albums sold-thanks to the broken heart he had given me, and I still had difficulty unthinking of him.
Gray has so much resentment towards Galel and Galel has so much guilt over Gray. When they meet again, I was squirming in my seat. It's uncomfortable and necessary and messy. I wish as readers we had Galel's POV but we can only find out his thoughts and feelings from his dialogue. This guy messed with my head. I was this close to forgiving him, and then BAM! Another secret he's been keeping is dropped.
"I know what I did to you is unforgiveable. I know it because I haven't been able to forgive myself for doing it. Nor will I ever."
But this is a book about forgiveness and redemption. You will hurt while reading it. I had to walk away and come back a few times. My stomach kept dropping and my eyes were wet.
Back and forth their anger goes-hers for the past, his for the present.
"However, my heart will never belong to anyone else. I gave it away once. It was returned to me as damaged goods."
"Because the real you, the one that exists now, is just a bitter and unforgiving bitch."
But keep reading-keep an open mind. There are a few twists that I never saw coming. There was some outside drama that I'm not sure was entirely necessary to the story, but I decided to just go with it. Over all, this book is a gem. Once I started it, I kept reading until I was finished. I started it while working out on the tread mill. Needless to say I got so caught up in the story, that my legs are like rubber bands today!
Flightless is a second chance at love for two people who on the surface seem to have it all and yet they are just living their life, trying to fill the void left by their break up. Ten years might as well have been ten months because they never really moved on from each other. But forgiving is hard and humbling and scary. But in the end, forgiveness is really for ourselves, not necessarily for the one we chose to forgive.
Happiness must be felt with the heart. It must be allowed to embed within us, bleed into the very fabric of our souls.
4.5 Loved it Stars!
And no matter what we smear on our faces, what we drape on our bodies, the dye we use on our hair, the precious gems we adorn our bodies with, or the ink we put in our flesh, the beginning and the ending of everyone is equal. We all will turn back into dust.
I have not read any of this author's previous works, but if they are anything like this one, I am going to have to fix that!
Gray Davis was abandoned at birth, in a graveyard covered by leaves. A dog found her tiny body. The nurse who took care of her in the hospital eventually adopted her.
The hospital staff called me the Graveyard Miracle. Soon after, Gray for short. It stuck.
Gray was teased about her beginnings, but small towns often have small minds. When she was in high school, she literally bumped into the guy she had been crushing on for years (or at least her head bumped into his locker door!) Galel was the stuff dreams were made of-they became friends, then lovers. Gray thought they were forever, until Galel destroyed her.
It's ten years later and Gray has never returned to her home in Mystic Connecticut. She went on to follow her dreams of making music and she's now "Gray" one of the biggest, most successful singers in the world. Her heart never healed after Galel took a sledgehammer to it. She knows all about him because her mother still insists on dropping hints at his life. He stayed in town and became a skilled oncologist at Yale. But her mom has just admitted that she has breast cancer and Gray has cancelled her tour. She's coming home to take care of her mother. Guess who's part of the oncology team treating her mom?
No, sweetie, you abandoned your pain in this town. It would be too painful to return. I would never ask that of you.
But Gray knows she is no longer that same girl as the one she left behind.
I was a woman now. I was a different person. An adult. A successful musician. I had reaped the fruits of every dream I dared to dream slouched on this very spot, staring out this same window. Why wasn't I happy? I thought I would find happiness when I found success. But I hadn't. If I was honest, I was sadder than ever.
She's held herself back from moving on, trapped in the past.
It had been ten years, a failed marriage, a hefty psychiatric bill, five million albums sold-thanks to the broken heart he had given me, and I still had difficulty unthinking of him.
Gray has so much resentment towards Galel and Galel has so much guilt over Gray. When they meet again, I was squirming in my seat. It's uncomfortable and necessary and messy. I wish as readers we had Galel's POV but we can only find out his thoughts and feelings from his dialogue. This guy messed with my head. I was this close to forgiving him, and then BAM! Another secret he's been keeping is dropped.
"I know what I did to you is unforgiveable. I know it because I haven't been able to forgive myself for doing it. Nor will I ever."
But this is a book about forgiveness and redemption. You will hurt while reading it. I had to walk away and come back a few times. My stomach kept dropping and my eyes were wet.
Back and forth their anger goes-hers for the past, his for the present.
"However, my heart will never belong to anyone else. I gave it away once. It was returned to me as damaged goods."
"Because the real you, the one that exists now, is just a bitter and unforgiving bitch."
But keep reading-keep an open mind. There are a few twists that I never saw coming. There was some outside drama that I'm not sure was entirely necessary to the story, but I decided to just go with it. Over all, this book is a gem. Once I started it, I kept reading until I was finished. I started it while working out on the tread mill. Needless to say I got so caught up in the story, that my legs are like rubber bands today!
Flightless is a second chance at love for two people who on the surface seem to have it all and yet they are just living their life, trying to fill the void left by their break up. Ten years might as well have been ten months because they never really moved on from each other. But forgiving is hard and humbling and scary. But in the end, forgiveness is really for ourselves, not necessarily for the one we chose to forgive.
Happiness must be felt with the heart. It must be allowed to embed within us, bleed into the very fabric of our souls.
February 20, 2017
Book – Flightless
Author – L. Duarte
Series – N/A
Publication Date – January 23, 2017
Genre – N/A, Contemporary Romance
Type – StandAlone
Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
No, it has nothing to do with loving the author and proofing this book! I honestly LOVED this book, loved the characters and I have always been a sucker for second chance romances!
Especially when it comes down to these characters and the heartbreak and drama they had to go through in order to find their HEA.
Ms. Duarte found those heart-strings and tugged them constantly in which I would find myself sobbing, bawling like a baby or sniffling. She got me ---- and not just one….NO, MANY TIMES!
Have you ever wondered what a soul mate is??
The answer is clear…..Gray and Galel ♥
Reason for Reading – Author Request
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Readers who love second chances and crying!
Author – L. Duarte
Series – N/A
Publication Date – January 23, 2017
Genre – N/A, Contemporary Romance
Type – StandAlone
Rating – 5 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
No, it has nothing to do with loving the author and proofing this book! I honestly LOVED this book, loved the characters and I have always been a sucker for second chance romances!
Especially when it comes down to these characters and the heartbreak and drama they had to go through in order to find their HEA.
Ms. Duarte found those heart-strings and tugged them constantly in which I would find myself sobbing, bawling like a baby or sniffling. She got me ---- and not just one….NO, MANY TIMES!
Have you ever wondered what a soul mate is??
The answer is clear…..Gray and Galel ♥
Reason for Reading – Author Request
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 5 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 5 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Readers who love second chances and crying!
March 7, 2018
If you like intense and deep developed second chance novels than you should maybe give “Flightless” by L. Duarte a try. Yeah well maybe I should better say something like third or forth chance because things will get messy.
People will be hurt and angry, you will feel their resentment and guilt. Past and present mistakes will turn this story into a roller-coaster ride with your emotions.
Twists and turns will follow you to the end of a storyline that for me shows that some relationships are worth waiting because without them your life would be empty.
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February 26, 2017
Gray is a music artist who comes home because her adoptive mother is dying from cancer. When she comes home she is reunited with her first love Galel who is her mother's oncologist. They broke up because he cheated on her but after all these years they still have feelings for each other. Only problem is Galel is engaged to another woman named Mandy.
So with the way this book was set up. I was expecting angst, drama and passion. Instead I got one heck of a confusing storyline. First off the main character is called "puppy" and they mean it in a good way. Um. Ok.
Secondly, there is a secondary story with someone who doesn't like Gray. Turns out the person who doesn't like Gray is her own biological mother. The mother gave birth to her in the graveyard and was going to kill her but the sunshine touched her face. Right...makes total sense. So she lets her live but is low key stalking her the whole time. Even tried to kill her in the hospital after she is found.
Remember how I told you Galel was engaged to Mandy? Turns out her and Gray are sisters! When he breaks off the engagement after Gray comes back into town. Their mother goes off the deep end again and shoots her!! Her own daughter!! Turns out the mom was also behind Galel cheating. She paid some girl to drug Galel and took a used condom from Grays room and planted in his house. The mom set it up so that Gray would walk in on them and leave him. The mom then pushed for Mandy and Galel to get together.
I honestly don't have anything else to say about this story. It had way too much going on and not enough reasoning. Maybe if the book was longer and we got more points of views it would have worked better. But for me this book was a bust.
*an arc was given for an honest review*
For more reviews check me out at: http://www.shellysbookcorner.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2017
This book from start to finish pulls at all the delicious strings I LOVE in a book. I felt everything through these chapters I never wanted to say goodbye.
"I could die from not being kissed like that. I could die from being kissed like that. I could die just to be kissed like that.
Gray is a mega superstar, she has sold millions of albums, won Grammys,but for the last 10 years she's been hiding from the place and the person who broke her heart. When she receives a call from home she knows it's TIME. Of course, that means seeing the man who destroyed her.
"Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap or open one. They can create wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire."
The feels, oh the feels. This book has them everywhere.
I wanted to hate Galel I really really did. But some where deep I knew there was a purpose to why. Talk about I did not see that coming...by the last half of the book I could not decipher what the heck was gonna happen.
Such a beautiful masterpiece, this one. These characters are woven and crafted to perfection. They might not be perfect, but they will show you how to love and be loved again.
“I never met anyone else who could speak so much with silence,” he said with a thoughtful expression.
"I could die from not being kissed like that. I could die from being kissed like that. I could die just to be kissed like that.
Gray is a mega superstar, she has sold millions of albums, won Grammys,but for the last 10 years she's been hiding from the place and the person who broke her heart. When she receives a call from home she knows it's TIME. Of course, that means seeing the man who destroyed her.
"Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap or open one. They can create wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire."
The feels, oh the feels. This book has them everywhere.
I wanted to hate Galel I really really did. But some where deep I knew there was a purpose to why. Talk about I did not see that coming...by the last half of the book I could not decipher what the heck was gonna happen.
Such a beautiful masterpiece, this one. These characters are woven and crafted to perfection. They might not be perfect, but they will show you how to love and be loved again.
“I never met anyone else who could speak so much with silence,” he said with a thoughtful expression.
January 2, 2017
**arc received for honest review**
**Reviewed by Melinda from Bloggers From Down Under
When we are born, life makes no claim that it is going to be simple or easy.
What would it feel like to be abandoned by your own mother?
Left to die.
Just born.
All alone.
Covered by leaves.
In a graveyard.
Left, abandoned, naked, bare, hungry, crying, exposed.
This was Grays story, a story about Love, forgiveness, heartbreak, death, abandonment, hope, self worth, a story about learning to forgive those who need forgiveness a story about defying the odds, a story about the love of soul mates and no matter how much time passes true love will always find a way.
Gray isn't perfect she has many flaws as we all do but she thought by leaving her home town and her mamma it would help her shattered heart.
I realize I am an imperfect person living in an imperfect world.
Gray didn't have the perfect start to life she was abanded by her own mother at a graveyard where her biological mother gave birth to her, she was found by chance by a dog called sunshine and taken to hospital to where she would meet her mamma.
“ONCE UPON A TIME , there was an unborn baby girl placed in the wrong tummy.
Gray had a great childhood but she always seem to go back to the graveyard it was her place her solace.
Fate came into play and Galel was injected into her world.
Galel and Gray had an amazing connection but they also had dreams, Gray's dream was to go to Julliard his was to be a doctor.
The arrival of the acceptance to Julliard Gray was excited to tell Galel but she wanted to do it in person never did she expect to see what she was about to see.
Grays world crumbled.
Her hopes and dreams gone.
The man she loved had broken her.
She left.
To never return.
I had turned into an empty vessel. I was devastated— without a purpose.
Until the day her mamma called to bring her home.
She had to go to the one place she hated, the one place she never wanted to return to.
Why?
Cause that's where he was.
Galel, the man that broke her.
The man that made her who she was today.
10 years later.
We lose our way in this maze we call life, and we spin like a lost satellite. No aim. No purpose.
What do you do when you
ome face to face with the man you love and hate at the same time?
The man that you cant forgive for shattering your heart?
But you have to put it all aside for the sake of your mamma.
Happiness must be felt with the heart. It must be allowed to embed within us, bleed into the very fabric of our souls.
This book held me captive from the first few pages, i was scared to turn the page at some parts i could feel the hurt and the emotion coming from Gray, her mamma and Galel. I was taken on a magical heartbreaking journey of the love story that is far from perfect but beautifully magical (If that's even a word).
I have never read anything from this author this was my first and surely wont be my last. the way this author writes is like magic, half way through the book I wasn't sure if I loved it or hated the writing style but after I had finished and everything came together and I read some of the quotes I realized I love the book, I love the quotes and I love the magic of the story I loved the roller coaster of emotion. I was taken on there journey with them.
Congrats L. Duarte on an amazing book I cant wait to read more of your work!!
5 Massive stars
**Reviewed by Melinda from Bloggers From Down Under
When we are born, life makes no claim that it is going to be simple or easy.
What would it feel like to be abandoned by your own mother?
Left to die.
Just born.
All alone.
Covered by leaves.
In a graveyard.
Left, abandoned, naked, bare, hungry, crying, exposed.
This was Grays story, a story about Love, forgiveness, heartbreak, death, abandonment, hope, self worth, a story about learning to forgive those who need forgiveness a story about defying the odds, a story about the love of soul mates and no matter how much time passes true love will always find a way.
Gray isn't perfect she has many flaws as we all do but she thought by leaving her home town and her mamma it would help her shattered heart.
I realize I am an imperfect person living in an imperfect world.
Gray didn't have the perfect start to life she was abanded by her own mother at a graveyard where her biological mother gave birth to her, she was found by chance by a dog called sunshine and taken to hospital to where she would meet her mamma.
“ONCE UPON A TIME , there was an unborn baby girl placed in the wrong tummy.
Gray had a great childhood but she always seem to go back to the graveyard it was her place her solace.
Fate came into play and Galel was injected into her world.
Galel and Gray had an amazing connection but they also had dreams, Gray's dream was to go to Julliard his was to be a doctor.
The arrival of the acceptance to Julliard Gray was excited to tell Galel but she wanted to do it in person never did she expect to see what she was about to see.
Grays world crumbled.
Her hopes and dreams gone.
The man she loved had broken her.
She left.
To never return.
I had turned into an empty vessel. I was devastated— without a purpose.
Until the day her mamma called to bring her home.
She had to go to the one place she hated, the one place she never wanted to return to.
Why?
Cause that's where he was.
Galel, the man that broke her.
The man that made her who she was today.
10 years later.
We lose our way in this maze we call life, and we spin like a lost satellite. No aim. No purpose.
What do you do when you
ome face to face with the man you love and hate at the same time?
The man that you cant forgive for shattering your heart?
But you have to put it all aside for the sake of your mamma.
Happiness must be felt with the heart. It must be allowed to embed within us, bleed into the very fabric of our souls.
This book held me captive from the first few pages, i was scared to turn the page at some parts i could feel the hurt and the emotion coming from Gray, her mamma and Galel. I was taken on a magical heartbreaking journey of the love story that is far from perfect but beautifully magical (If that's even a word).
I have never read anything from this author this was my first and surely wont be my last. the way this author writes is like magic, half way through the book I wasn't sure if I loved it or hated the writing style but after I had finished and everything came together and I read some of the quotes I realized I love the book, I love the quotes and I love the magic of the story I loved the roller coaster of emotion. I was taken on there journey with them.
Congrats L. Duarte on an amazing book I cant wait to read more of your work!!
5 Massive stars
February 7, 2017
I volunteered to read an advanced reader copy of this story. I in no way received any form of payment and these are my thoughts and only my thoughts.
This story gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading it. This story has potential to make a reader cry. I got teary eyed in several spots. I loved the characters, Gray is a Grammy winning superstar, She left home and didn't look back for 10 years, when a call from her mom came, saying she had Cancer :(
Grays ex-boyfriend Galel followed his dreams and became a doctor, He is on the medical team for Grays' mom.
Can Gray and Galel overcome what tore them apart all those years ago? Can they be friends if nothing else This book will pull at your heartstrings, and leave you wanting to hit someone or something. There is a character in this book that I truly hated and once your read you will know why.
There is so much I could say about this story but I'm afraid it would spoil the story and I hate that! So I am just going to say that you need to one click this when its released!
This story gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading it. This story has potential to make a reader cry. I got teary eyed in several spots. I loved the characters, Gray is a Grammy winning superstar, She left home and didn't look back for 10 years, when a call from her mom came, saying she had Cancer :(
Grays ex-boyfriend Galel followed his dreams and became a doctor, He is on the medical team for Grays' mom.
Can Gray and Galel overcome what tore them apart all those years ago? Can they be friends if nothing else This book will pull at your heartstrings, and leave you wanting to hit someone or something. There is a character in this book that I truly hated and once your read you will know why.
There is so much I could say about this story but I'm afraid it would spoil the story and I hate that! So I am just going to say that you need to one click this when its released!
April 24, 2017
3.5 stars
I am a complete sucker to a second chance love story, even though my TBR pile is out of control I just can’t resist them.
Gray has spent the last 10 years on the run – when I say that I mean she has been running from her past, her home town and the memories she would rather not relive. In her everyday life she has become a very successful and well known singer, touring all over the world. When Gray receives a phone call from her mother with devastating news, she drops everything to return home to care for her.
Just because Gray hasn’t been home to Misty in years doesn’t mean she hasn’t seen her mother, she often flies her to her concert locations so they can catch up. There is only one real reason she hasn’t returned home and that reason is Galel Asner. Galel was her high school sweetheart, the guy she made plans with for a future together and the guy that broke her heart.
When they were teenagers Gray worked really hard in school to fulfill her dream of being accepted in Julliard Music School in New York. Galel always wanted to be a doctor and as he was a little bit older than Gray he left for college before she finished high school. Then one day everything changed and Gray left throwing away her dreams, managing to make it big on her own.
As luck would have it Galel is one of her mother’s medical specialists so there will be no escaping him unfortunately. Gray still carries the pain and hurt around with her from all those years ago so when she sees Galel for the first time it all comes slamming back, reverberating around the walls of her heart.
‘The pale light of dawn accented the small lines around his eyes. The lines had been non-existent when he was mine. I examined them. They made the lapse of time we had spent apart, real, tangible, concrete. I resented them.’
As Gray immerses herself back into life in her hometown she relives a lot of moments and memories she had with Galel. However, one thing is startling obvious, she still loves him, always has and always will. She can see the same feelings reflected in the depths of Galel’s eyes but despite all this she will never trust him again with her heart.
All of this is playing out quite nicely but in the background there is a dark element going on. The history of Gray’s birth is quite a crucial story line to this book and there is someone in her town hell bent on destroying her and any potential future happiness she may have.
So you have a second chance love story playing out between Gray and Galel, her mother coping with a life threatening medical issue and a nasty person making plans to intersect with all of that. Plenty of things to keep a reader interested. I personally didn’t understand why there was so much nastiness and didn’t like the way it played out, in fact I felt a lot of it unncessary but that was just my personal feel. If you enjoy a good second chance love story then I am sure you will enjoy this!
I am a complete sucker to a second chance love story, even though my TBR pile is out of control I just can’t resist them.
Gray has spent the last 10 years on the run – when I say that I mean she has been running from her past, her home town and the memories she would rather not relive. In her everyday life she has become a very successful and well known singer, touring all over the world. When Gray receives a phone call from her mother with devastating news, she drops everything to return home to care for her.
Just because Gray hasn’t been home to Misty in years doesn’t mean she hasn’t seen her mother, she often flies her to her concert locations so they can catch up. There is only one real reason she hasn’t returned home and that reason is Galel Asner. Galel was her high school sweetheart, the guy she made plans with for a future together and the guy that broke her heart.
When they were teenagers Gray worked really hard in school to fulfill her dream of being accepted in Julliard Music School in New York. Galel always wanted to be a doctor and as he was a little bit older than Gray he left for college before she finished high school. Then one day everything changed and Gray left throwing away her dreams, managing to make it big on her own.
As luck would have it Galel is one of her mother’s medical specialists so there will be no escaping him unfortunately. Gray still carries the pain and hurt around with her from all those years ago so when she sees Galel for the first time it all comes slamming back, reverberating around the walls of her heart.
‘The pale light of dawn accented the small lines around his eyes. The lines had been non-existent when he was mine. I examined them. They made the lapse of time we had spent apart, real, tangible, concrete. I resented them.’
As Gray immerses herself back into life in her hometown she relives a lot of moments and memories she had with Galel. However, one thing is startling obvious, she still loves him, always has and always will. She can see the same feelings reflected in the depths of Galel’s eyes but despite all this she will never trust him again with her heart.
All of this is playing out quite nicely but in the background there is a dark element going on. The history of Gray’s birth is quite a crucial story line to this book and there is someone in her town hell bent on destroying her and any potential future happiness she may have.
So you have a second chance love story playing out between Gray and Galel, her mother coping with a life threatening medical issue and a nasty person making plans to intersect with all of that. Plenty of things to keep a reader interested. I personally didn’t understand why there was so much nastiness and didn’t like the way it played out, in fact I felt a lot of it unncessary but that was just my personal feel. If you enjoy a good second chance love story then I am sure you will enjoy this!
January 1, 2017
4.5 stars
I was sent an ARC of this book for an honest review, the views given are entirely my own and I was not compensated for this review in any way.
I love Lucianas female characters. They are so strong and at the same time they have flaws that make them human. I feel for Gray. Her melancholy and her faible for cemete-ries. Her biggest flaw: she can’t forgive. I asked myself why can’t she move on from her past? They were young and people make mistakes. Some are insignificant, others hurt people. Why can’t she forgive him? But then it became clear: she loved Galel so much she couldn’t condone. She’s reserved by nature so his betrayal hurt so much more. And we do not always act rationally.
I also liked Galel, despite my doubts about his character. He hurt as much as Gray and he wants to make amends. Although he has a few secrets of his own.
Flightless has some unexpected revleations that surprised me. The only thing I could live without was the subplot. I think Grays and Galels hate/love story was enough, so the suspense part wasn’t really necessary. It tied some loose ends but there surely would’ve been another way to do so. Therefore "only" 4.5 stars.
Flightless is a book about second chances and forgiveness. About deep love and emotions. About wasted time. About two people, who are unhappy for a long time, before they decide to forgive themselves. Because in the end forgiveness is for ourselves. A book that brought me to tears (again) and a few new favorite quotes (again!). Thank you!
„Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap and open one. They can creat wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire.“
Luciana, thank you for YOUR words. They are full of truth and depth as always. (And the acknowledgment :) ♥)
Review
Gray Davis ist ein Star. Erfolgreiche Musikerin. Grammy-Gewinnerin. Ausverkaufte Kon-zerte. Man möchte meinen, ihr Leben ist perfekt. Nach außen hin ist es das auch. Dann der Anruf, der ihr gesamtes Leben verändert. Ihre Adoptivmutter hat Krebs. Und Gray kehrt nach zehn Jahren des Weglaufens nachhause zurück. Um sich um ihre Mutter zu kümmern und sich der Vergangenheit zu stellen. Gray ist seit ihrem ersten Atemzug eine Kämpferin. Von ihrer biologischen Mutter nach der Geburt auf einem Friedhoch ausgesetzt wurde sie als das Graveyard Miracle bezeichnet. Wohlbehütet wuchs sie bei jener Krankenschwester, sie die versorgt hatte, auf. Mit 15 traf sie Galel. Ihre große Liebe und Zukunft, bis ein Verrat sie aus der Stadt trieb. Doch jetzt ist sie zurück und in einer Kleinstadt wie Misty kann man sich schwer aus dem Weg gehen. V.a. wenn Galel stets Kontakt zu ihrer Mutter pflegte. Die Zeit ist da, um über ihren Schmerz hinwegzukommen und zu vergeben, ist da. Doch kann sie sich so einfach von 10 Jahren Verbitterung lösen?
Ich liebe Lucianas weibliche Charaktere. Sie sind stark, besitzen aber gleichzeitig Schwächen und Fehler, die sie menschlich machen. In Gray kann ich man sich gut hineinfühlen. Ihre melancholische Seite, ihr Faible für jenen Friedhof, auf dem sie ausgesetzt wurde und der noch eine weitere wichtige Rolle für sie spielt… Eine ihrer großen Schwächen: sie kann nicht verzeihen. Zehn Jahre lang hat sie sich in den Schmerz des Betrugs vergraben und daraus ihre Inspiration für ihre Hits genommen. Anfangs habe ich mich gefragt, warum sie das alles nicht einfach hinter sich lässt. Immerhin waren sie beide damals jung und jeder macht Fehler. Manche sind unbedeutend, andere wie dieser hier verletzten die Menschen, die man liebt, sehr. Warum hängt sie also so daran, ihm nicht zu verzeihen und kehrt dafür 10 Jahre lang nicht in ihre Heimatstadt zurück? Doch dann wurde klar, dass Gray ihn so sehr liebte, dass sie einfach nicht über den Verrat hinweg kann. Von Natur aus ein melancholischer, zurückhaltender Mensch, der sich nicht vielen öffnet, hat sie dies umso schwerer getroffen. Und so kann ich es doch irgendwie verstehen. Doch was wäre ihr viel Wut und Schmerz erspart geblieben, hätte sie ihm schneller verziehen. Aber man tut nicht immer das, was rational erscheint und gut für einen ist.
Ich mochte Galel, obwohl ich anfangs Zweifel an seinem Charakter hatte. Doch auch er hatte es die letzten 10 Jahre nicht einfach und hat nicht weniger gelitten als Gray. Es war schön, dass er sich in ihrer Abwesenheit um ihre Mutter gekümmert hat. Mit ihrer Rückkehr hat er die Chance auf Wiedergutmachung, doch Gray macht es ihm nicht einfach. Beide sind verletzt und wütend. Es gibt Schuldzuweisungen, doch gleichzeitig auch das Aufflammen alter Gefühle.
Flightless wartet mit einigen Enthüllungen und Wendungen auf, die ich nicht kommen gesehen habe. Die Nebenhandlung, die damit einherging, war für mich persönlich nicht notwendig. So wurden jedoch ein paar lose Enden verknüpft, für die es aber auch eine andere Erklärung gegeben hätte.
Flightless ist ein Buch über zweite Chancen und das Verzeihen. Über die große Liebe und vergeudete Jahre. Über zwei Menschen, die über Jahre unglücklich sind, bevor sie sich entscheiden sich selbst zuvergeben. Denn dafür ist Vergebung letztlich da, um einem selbst Erleichterung zu bringen. Ein Buch, das mich mal wieder den Tränen nahe und mir ein paar neue Lieblingszitate gebracht hat. Danke!
„Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap and open one. They can creat wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire.“
Luciana, vielen vielen Dank für DEINE Worte. Sie enthalten wie immer so viel Wahrheit und Tiefe. (Und deine Danksagung ♥)
I was sent an ARC of this book for an honest review, the views given are entirely my own and I was not compensated for this review in any way.
I love Lucianas female characters. They are so strong and at the same time they have flaws that make them human. I feel for Gray. Her melancholy and her faible for cemete-ries. Her biggest flaw: she can’t forgive. I asked myself why can’t she move on from her past? They were young and people make mistakes. Some are insignificant, others hurt people. Why can’t she forgive him? But then it became clear: she loved Galel so much she couldn’t condone. She’s reserved by nature so his betrayal hurt so much more. And we do not always act rationally.
I also liked Galel, despite my doubts about his character. He hurt as much as Gray and he wants to make amends. Although he has a few secrets of his own.
Flightless has some unexpected revleations that surprised me. The only thing I could live without was the subplot. I think Grays and Galels hate/love story was enough, so the suspense part wasn’t really necessary. It tied some loose ends but there surely would’ve been another way to do so. Therefore "only" 4.5 stars.
Flightless is a book about second chances and forgiveness. About deep love and emotions. About wasted time. About two people, who are unhappy for a long time, before they decide to forgive themselves. Because in the end forgiveness is for ourselves. A book that brought me to tears (again) and a few new favorite quotes (again!). Thank you!
„Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap and open one. They can creat wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire.“
Luciana, thank you for YOUR words. They are full of truth and depth as always. (And the acknowledgment :) ♥)
Review
Gray Davis ist ein Star. Erfolgreiche Musikerin. Grammy-Gewinnerin. Ausverkaufte Kon-zerte. Man möchte meinen, ihr Leben ist perfekt. Nach außen hin ist es das auch. Dann der Anruf, der ihr gesamtes Leben verändert. Ihre Adoptivmutter hat Krebs. Und Gray kehrt nach zehn Jahren des Weglaufens nachhause zurück. Um sich um ihre Mutter zu kümmern und sich der Vergangenheit zu stellen. Gray ist seit ihrem ersten Atemzug eine Kämpferin. Von ihrer biologischen Mutter nach der Geburt auf einem Friedhoch ausgesetzt wurde sie als das Graveyard Miracle bezeichnet. Wohlbehütet wuchs sie bei jener Krankenschwester, sie die versorgt hatte, auf. Mit 15 traf sie Galel. Ihre große Liebe und Zukunft, bis ein Verrat sie aus der Stadt trieb. Doch jetzt ist sie zurück und in einer Kleinstadt wie Misty kann man sich schwer aus dem Weg gehen. V.a. wenn Galel stets Kontakt zu ihrer Mutter pflegte. Die Zeit ist da, um über ihren Schmerz hinwegzukommen und zu vergeben, ist da. Doch kann sie sich so einfach von 10 Jahren Verbitterung lösen?
Ich liebe Lucianas weibliche Charaktere. Sie sind stark, besitzen aber gleichzeitig Schwächen und Fehler, die sie menschlich machen. In Gray kann ich man sich gut hineinfühlen. Ihre melancholische Seite, ihr Faible für jenen Friedhof, auf dem sie ausgesetzt wurde und der noch eine weitere wichtige Rolle für sie spielt… Eine ihrer großen Schwächen: sie kann nicht verzeihen. Zehn Jahre lang hat sie sich in den Schmerz des Betrugs vergraben und daraus ihre Inspiration für ihre Hits genommen. Anfangs habe ich mich gefragt, warum sie das alles nicht einfach hinter sich lässt. Immerhin waren sie beide damals jung und jeder macht Fehler. Manche sind unbedeutend, andere wie dieser hier verletzten die Menschen, die man liebt, sehr. Warum hängt sie also so daran, ihm nicht zu verzeihen und kehrt dafür 10 Jahre lang nicht in ihre Heimatstadt zurück? Doch dann wurde klar, dass Gray ihn so sehr liebte, dass sie einfach nicht über den Verrat hinweg kann. Von Natur aus ein melancholischer, zurückhaltender Mensch, der sich nicht vielen öffnet, hat sie dies umso schwerer getroffen. Und so kann ich es doch irgendwie verstehen. Doch was wäre ihr viel Wut und Schmerz erspart geblieben, hätte sie ihm schneller verziehen. Aber man tut nicht immer das, was rational erscheint und gut für einen ist.
Ich mochte Galel, obwohl ich anfangs Zweifel an seinem Charakter hatte. Doch auch er hatte es die letzten 10 Jahre nicht einfach und hat nicht weniger gelitten als Gray. Es war schön, dass er sich in ihrer Abwesenheit um ihre Mutter gekümmert hat. Mit ihrer Rückkehr hat er die Chance auf Wiedergutmachung, doch Gray macht es ihm nicht einfach. Beide sind verletzt und wütend. Es gibt Schuldzuweisungen, doch gleichzeitig auch das Aufflammen alter Gefühle.
Flightless wartet mit einigen Enthüllungen und Wendungen auf, die ich nicht kommen gesehen habe. Die Nebenhandlung, die damit einherging, war für mich persönlich nicht notwendig. So wurden jedoch ein paar lose Enden verknüpft, für die es aber auch eine andere Erklärung gegeben hätte.
Flightless ist ein Buch über zweite Chancen und das Verzeihen. Über die große Liebe und vergeudete Jahre. Über zwei Menschen, die über Jahre unglücklich sind, bevor sie sich entscheiden sich selbst zuvergeben. Denn dafür ist Vergebung letztlich da, um einem selbst Erleichterung zu bringen. Ein Buch, das mich mal wieder den Tränen nahe und mir ein paar neue Lieblingszitate gebracht hat. Danke!
„Words are what we make out of them. Words can close a gap and open one. They can creat wars and end wars. They’re powerful. They can be as fluid and reflective as water or as dangerous and destructive as fire.“
Luciana, vielen vielen Dank für DEINE Worte. Sie enthalten wie immer so viel Wahrheit und Tiefe. (Und deine Danksagung ♥)
January 4, 2017
First I would like to thank Lu Duarte for the opportunity to read and review this book for an honest review.
I have to give this book 5 stars because of the writing and how it brings out so many emotions. Lu's book tend to do that. And I like this author a lot. Her books are far and in between, but always a welcomed treat.
I enjoyed Gray and Galel story and their challenges. I enjoyed the way they met and also their reunion. This to me is a story about love and forgiving. Love of a parent, a friend, a first love and a past lover. The love that looks past all the faults we find in others. Its about how we can't move through life whole when we're carrying around the burden of unforgiveness.
Gray's life begins when she is abandoned as an infant, but finds the love of a good woman who raises her as her own.
" Once upon a time, there was an unborn baby placed in the wrong tummy. A misunderstanding. The baby belonged to another mommy."
Gray goes on to have a pretty good life until she decides that she rather live an unforgiving and woe is me life. Then she has to return to the childhood home she left behind and everything changes.
It was interesting how even some mystery is woven into this story. Not what I expected at all, but very good.
This book is well written and has an easy flow that gets you into the lives for each character. It will give you all the feelings and a good read.
I have to give this book 5 stars because of the writing and how it brings out so many emotions. Lu's book tend to do that. And I like this author a lot. Her books are far and in between, but always a welcomed treat.
I enjoyed Gray and Galel story and their challenges. I enjoyed the way they met and also their reunion. This to me is a story about love and forgiving. Love of a parent, a friend, a first love and a past lover. The love that looks past all the faults we find in others. Its about how we can't move through life whole when we're carrying around the burden of unforgiveness.
Gray's life begins when she is abandoned as an infant, but finds the love of a good woman who raises her as her own.
" Once upon a time, there was an unborn baby placed in the wrong tummy. A misunderstanding. The baby belonged to another mommy."
Gray goes on to have a pretty good life until she decides that she rather live an unforgiving and woe is me life. Then she has to return to the childhood home she left behind and everything changes.
It was interesting how even some mystery is woven into this story. Not what I expected at all, but very good.
This book is well written and has an easy flow that gets you into the lives for each character. It will give you all the feelings and a good read.
January 29, 2017
This is the first book by Luciana Duarte that I have read. Flightless is Grey's story. And what a story it is.
The plot was carefully laid out & everything fit. This story is full of powerful emotions. Once you start reading you'll want to keep going until the bitter end. As me story progresses we're given more information, which in turn answered the questions that I found myself asking earlier in the book.
I think that L. Duarte has put a lot of energy, emotion & care into writing such an emotional book. She deals with some of the darker topics in life & I think she handles them well. Luciana's writing flows well, it passes from each event smoothly & without confusion. I felt it was easy to slide into their world & to feel a part of the things that were happening.
The characters were good; they had depth, they showed individual personalities & they worked well together. It would have been easy to think that these were real people in a real world. They're emotions were strong & realistic, more than once I found myself wanting to reach out & hug them or to help them.
Overall it was a joy to read & a joy to discover a new to me author. From this book alone I will certainly be looking into reading more of her work.
The plot was carefully laid out & everything fit. This story is full of powerful emotions. Once you start reading you'll want to keep going until the bitter end. As me story progresses we're given more information, which in turn answered the questions that I found myself asking earlier in the book.
I think that L. Duarte has put a lot of energy, emotion & care into writing such an emotional book. She deals with some of the darker topics in life & I think she handles them well. Luciana's writing flows well, it passes from each event smoothly & without confusion. I felt it was easy to slide into their world & to feel a part of the things that were happening.
The characters were good; they had depth, they showed individual personalities & they worked well together. It would have been easy to think that these were real people in a real world. They're emotions were strong & realistic, more than once I found myself wanting to reach out & hug them or to help them.
Overall it was a joy to read & a joy to discover a new to me author. From this book alone I will certainly be looking into reading more of her work.
February 5, 2017
L. Duarte sent me an ARC of this book for an honest review, Thank you very much!!
I must say that this book was so eloquently written. The sentences were perfectly put together. You can read how L. Duarte put her heart and soul into this story.
This book was about finding forgiveness, strength, finding answers to the right questions and realizing what the right questions are. I loved the character's and how they interacted together and made a bigger story. This book made me feel so many emotions. I went from being hurt, lost and confused to feeling the hope, love, and light.
L. Duarte did an amazing job with this book basically because she made me feel a part of the story.
Can't wait to see what she has in store for readers next. MUST READ!!
I must say that this book was so eloquently written. The sentences were perfectly put together. You can read how L. Duarte put her heart and soul into this story.
This book was about finding forgiveness, strength, finding answers to the right questions and realizing what the right questions are. I loved the character's and how they interacted together and made a bigger story. This book made me feel so many emotions. I went from being hurt, lost and confused to feeling the hope, love, and light.
L. Duarte did an amazing job with this book basically because she made me feel a part of the story.
Can't wait to see what she has in store for readers next. MUST READ!!
January 10, 2017
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
This book... wow.
L. Duarte blew my expectations out of the water with this one. The story was so beautifully crafted... the prologue alone wrapped me up in words, sank hooks into my interest and held me captive.
I hated having to put the story down for even a moment.
Flightless is more than a second chance romance. It's a story that deals with loss and abandonment; redemption and reclamation. It was a journey that took some twists and turns that caught me by surprise. I can wholeheartedly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
This book... wow.
L. Duarte blew my expectations out of the water with this one. The story was so beautifully crafted... the prologue alone wrapped me up in words, sank hooks into my interest and held me captive.
I hated having to put the story down for even a moment.
Flightless is more than a second chance romance. It's a story that deals with loss and abandonment; redemption and reclamation. It was a journey that took some twists and turns that caught me by surprise. I can wholeheartedly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
April 19, 2017
Can I like and hate this book with equal measure? Because that's the way I feel.
I was curious and the main reason I didn't give up was also because I was curious. It had some good elements but it also had so many things that were unnecessary to the story. Though I think I understood where the author was trying to go, the execution wasn't that great for me.
I was curious and the main reason I didn't give up was also because I was curious. It had some good elements but it also had so many things that were unnecessary to the story. Though I think I understood where the author was trying to go, the execution wasn't that great for me.
February 7, 2017
*ARC received for an honest review*
This was my first L. Duarte book I've read, and to say I loved it would be a complete understatement. This book was extraordinary.
“I’m coming home.” I hadn't said those words in over a decade. Somehow, they didn't taste as foreign as I had imagined they would.
Gray Davis is a renowned singer, songwriter, Grammy winner. An all-around superstar. After a phone call that will change everything, she cancels her remaining shows and returns to her hometown of Misty. Misty, a place she never thought she'd step two feet in again. Misty, a place that held so many memories. Misty, a place where she could run into him. Him, Galel Asner. The one who broke her heart so many years ago. The one who she can't seem to forgive.
"My heart will never belong to anyone else. I gave it away once. It was returned to me as damaged goods."
Gray and Galel's story is heartbreakingly beautiful. It is told between past and present, allowing the reader to see how their love story started and how it fell apart. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into detail about the plot. You have to go into this book as blind as possible. Just know that nothing is as it seems. There are things that you never see coming. You have to experience this beautiful book fully.
"I know what I did to you is unforgivable. I know because I haven't been able to forgive myself for doing it. Nor will I ever."
The guilt Galel carries with him is so heavy. He can't forgive himself with everything that happened with Gray. Despite what happened in the past, Galel wants Gray to know that he too is a body without a soul and a heart that is broken and only she can put back together. You go on a roller-coaster ride of emotions reading about these characters. They suck you in, and you don't have a choice but to give them a piece of your heart.
"I owed it to myself to acknowledge the truth. To accept it. To own it. I had been, I was, and I would always be undeniably and irrevocably in love with Galel Asner."
This book consumed me. It grabbed my heart and squeezed it so hard, but I didn't care, I welcomed it. It was brilliantly written. The characters in this book were so well-developed. This story flowed so seamlessly, you can't help but get lost in this beautiful book. It is without-a-doubt a true masterpiece.
"Simply loving the ordinary, makes our lives extraordinary."
L. Duarte, thank you for writing this book. Thank you for giving us the story of Gray and Galel. I didn't want this book to end, I didn't want to say goodbye to Gray and Galel. These two will forever hold a place in my heart. This book has soared all the way to the top as one of my favorites. An absolute gem.
This was my first L. Duarte book I've read, and to say I loved it would be a complete understatement. This book was extraordinary.
“I’m coming home.” I hadn't said those words in over a decade. Somehow, they didn't taste as foreign as I had imagined they would.
Gray Davis is a renowned singer, songwriter, Grammy winner. An all-around superstar. After a phone call that will change everything, she cancels her remaining shows and returns to her hometown of Misty. Misty, a place she never thought she'd step two feet in again. Misty, a place that held so many memories. Misty, a place where she could run into him. Him, Galel Asner. The one who broke her heart so many years ago. The one who she can't seem to forgive.
"My heart will never belong to anyone else. I gave it away once. It was returned to me as damaged goods."
Gray and Galel's story is heartbreakingly beautiful. It is told between past and present, allowing the reader to see how their love story started and how it fell apart. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go into detail about the plot. You have to go into this book as blind as possible. Just know that nothing is as it seems. There are things that you never see coming. You have to experience this beautiful book fully.
"I know what I did to you is unforgivable. I know because I haven't been able to forgive myself for doing it. Nor will I ever."
The guilt Galel carries with him is so heavy. He can't forgive himself with everything that happened with Gray. Despite what happened in the past, Galel wants Gray to know that he too is a body without a soul and a heart that is broken and only she can put back together. You go on a roller-coaster ride of emotions reading about these characters. They suck you in, and you don't have a choice but to give them a piece of your heart.
"I owed it to myself to acknowledge the truth. To accept it. To own it. I had been, I was, and I would always be undeniably and irrevocably in love with Galel Asner."
This book consumed me. It grabbed my heart and squeezed it so hard, but I didn't care, I welcomed it. It was brilliantly written. The characters in this book were so well-developed. This story flowed so seamlessly, you can't help but get lost in this beautiful book. It is without-a-doubt a true masterpiece.
"Simply loving the ordinary, makes our lives extraordinary."
L. Duarte, thank you for writing this book. Thank you for giving us the story of Gray and Galel. I didn't want this book to end, I didn't want to say goodbye to Gray and Galel. These two will forever hold a place in my heart. This book has soared all the way to the top as one of my favorites. An absolute gem.
March 27, 2017
1/5 Stars
Don't be fooled by the pretty cover. -.-'
This was another classic where the two main characters have lost years together because they haven't sat down with one another and talked. It's one massive miscommunication and I hate that in books, I really do. I just don't have the time to read it.
I couldn't connect to 'Puppy' at all nor Galel. They felt very one dimension and I couldn't examine them from any other points of view. Puppy acted like an stroppy seven year old with her attitudes and actions rather than a late 20/early 30 something year old-this is never specified. Actually she seemed to be like a thirteen year old experiencing puberty for the first time and I didn't like this. I understand she's going to be understandably upset given the situation with her adoptive mother and Galel but still. Enough already!
And the overall plot. It's not something new, I found it to be very predictable.
In conclusion- the characters I couldn't connect with and they had no real depth, the plot and backgrounds of the Puppy seemed to leave me thinking "yeah ok then".
Just NO!!! Next...
Don't be fooled by the pretty cover. -.-'
This was another classic where the two main characters have lost years together because they haven't sat down with one another and talked. It's one massive miscommunication and I hate that in books, I really do. I just don't have the time to read it.
I couldn't connect to 'Puppy' at all nor Galel. They felt very one dimension and I couldn't examine them from any other points of view. Puppy acted like an stroppy seven year old with her attitudes and actions rather than a late 20/early 30 something year old-this is never specified. Actually she seemed to be like a thirteen year old experiencing puberty for the first time and I didn't like this. I understand she's going to be understandably upset given the situation with her adoptive mother and Galel but still. Enough already!
And the overall plot. It's not something new, I found it to be very predictable.
In conclusion- the characters I couldn't connect with and they had no real depth, the plot and backgrounds of the Puppy seemed to leave me thinking "yeah ok then".
Just NO!!! Next...
February 11, 2017
Flightless is a book that I never saw coming, as when I decided to read it, I would have NEVER EVER guessed the extent of the deep, and awesome story! My extreme dramatic girly girl emotions are all over the place. Gray Davis is an amazing character who has been deeply hurt by Galal, and that hurt has fueled her actions for years. When she has no choice but to come home, it takes a bit, but she learns how to forgive, and that things aren't always what they seem. L. Duarte has a talented writing style that instantly drew me in, while keeping me enthralled until the very end. It's a beautifully written second chance love story that was hard fought getting there. A huge twist that I never saw coming, forced such a loud f-bomb dropping moment, that I'm pretty sure that my neighbors heard it. I'm hoping against all hope that the author brings back Galel and Grey for more, because in my opinion (for whatever it's worth) their story isn't done yet. I cannot wait to read more from her, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
February 10, 2017
I would definitely recommend this book to people. It was delightfully written. I was intrigued with the female protagonists birth origins and her wonderful relationship with her "mom." I think that's what caught me about this story. Not just her and the male protagonists relationsip and where things went wrong.
Over all though, normally I try to stay away from books with angst or jilted old flames because it creates a heaviness and uneasiness in my heart, but after reading the plot synopsis my interest was piqued. The writing was great, liked the characters, and I look forward to more from this author.
Over all though, normally I try to stay away from books with angst or jilted old flames because it creates a heaviness and uneasiness in my heart, but after reading the plot synopsis my interest was piqued. The writing was great, liked the characters, and I look forward to more from this author.
February 4, 2017
Flightless by L. Duarte
5 star review
Read and reviewed on behalf of 2 girls who love books blog.
Flightless is an emotional read by L. Duarte that had me on the brink of tears the whole way through and by the end they were free flowing! My emotions were completely invested in this book and the characters! I honestly couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with these characters and how quickly it happened. I could not put this book down, I was hooked from the very beginning until the very last word and even then I wanted more! My heart broke and was pieced back together with this story and it’s been a while since a storyline has really got to me like that.
I absolutely loved the characters of Gray and Galel and I desperately wanted them to find their way back together! The story is told in the past and present and that helps to get a good feeling of everything that has happened between this couple – there were also some great twists as well, some of which I honestly didn’t expect!
This is the second book that I have read by this author and the one thing that stands out the most for me about L. Duarte is that the characters in the stories seem so real and I feel as though I am reading their personal, real life stories. There is so much emotion that goes into these stories and they definitely make for some emotional reading at times!
I wholeheartedly recommend Flightless by L. Duarte – you will not be disappointed and it definitely deserves the 5 star review I give it!
5 star review
Read and reviewed on behalf of 2 girls who love books blog.
Flightless is an emotional read by L. Duarte that had me on the brink of tears the whole way through and by the end they were free flowing! My emotions were completely invested in this book and the characters! I honestly couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with these characters and how quickly it happened. I could not put this book down, I was hooked from the very beginning until the very last word and even then I wanted more! My heart broke and was pieced back together with this story and it’s been a while since a storyline has really got to me like that.
I absolutely loved the characters of Gray and Galel and I desperately wanted them to find their way back together! The story is told in the past and present and that helps to get a good feeling of everything that has happened between this couple – there were also some great twists as well, some of which I honestly didn’t expect!
This is the second book that I have read by this author and the one thing that stands out the most for me about L. Duarte is that the characters in the stories seem so real and I feel as though I am reading their personal, real life stories. There is so much emotion that goes into these stories and they definitely make for some emotional reading at times!
I wholeheartedly recommend Flightless by L. Duarte – you will not be disappointed and it definitely deserves the 5 star review I give it!
February 6, 2017
2.5?
Really pretty prose. Duarte has a way with words that is really imaginative and eloquent but I found it hard to relate to the characters in the way that they were written out. Gray is a famous musician who has come back home to care for her mother after she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Everything in the small town reminds her of her first love and the boy who broke her heart, and she's never really gotten over it.
The first couple chapters were so descriptive and captivating, I was so excited for this book, but as soon as we met the love interest, Galel, I knew it was game over. There was a lot of alluding to him having wronged her in the past, and everyone around them would find ways to give them time together to sort out their feelings and that's one of my biggest annoyances in fiction!! I would not want to associate with anyone that's forcing me to spend time with someone's that's hurt me, but it makes for drama. So... With that said, these two were such an awkward pair, I wasn't really able to connect with them as lovers. Some of this was told in past tense and she held him on a pedestal as most teenagers do, but they were not any more mature as adults. In the heat of the moment she asks him to sleep with her, and after he turns her down she has a tantrum and tells him never that she never wants to talk to him again??? Finally gets her wish and I've got to read about how this dude wants to "mark her womb," and she wants to "taste his masculinity." Almost wish the author went with a fade to black and cut to the next paragraph instead of the obligatory sex scenes needed to mark this as new adult. It was that awkward.
Then the plot ran off the rails and turned into something I've only seen on daytime television. I kept reading because I needed to know how it ended but yes it got even more dramatic and now my head is spinning.
Really pretty prose. Duarte has a way with words that is really imaginative and eloquent but I found it hard to relate to the characters in the way that they were written out. Gray is a famous musician who has come back home to care for her mother after she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Everything in the small town reminds her of her first love and the boy who broke her heart, and she's never really gotten over it.
The first couple chapters were so descriptive and captivating, I was so excited for this book, but as soon as we met the love interest, Galel, I knew it was game over. There was a lot of alluding to him having wronged her in the past, and everyone around them would find ways to give them time together to sort out their feelings and that's one of my biggest annoyances in fiction!! I would not want to associate with anyone that's forcing me to spend time with someone's that's hurt me, but it makes for drama. So... With that said, these two were such an awkward pair, I wasn't really able to connect with them as lovers. Some of this was told in past tense and she held him on a pedestal as most teenagers do, but they were not any more mature as adults. In the heat of the moment she asks him to sleep with her, and after he turns her down she has a tantrum and tells him never that she never wants to talk to him again??? Finally gets her wish and I've got to read about how this dude wants to "mark her womb," and she wants to "taste his masculinity." Almost wish the author went with a fade to black and cut to the next paragraph instead of the obligatory sex scenes needed to mark this as new adult. It was that awkward.
Then the plot ran off the rails and turned into something I've only seen on daytime television. I kept reading because I needed to know how it ended but yes it got even more dramatic and now my head is spinning.
January 29, 2017
☆☆☆☆
~ALI~
This story is one that will stick with me for a while. I thoroughly enjoyed my first book by Duarte. Flightless takes the reader on an incredible emotional journey. Gray and Galel are two powerful main characters and I fell in love with both of them. Told in the first person pov from Gray, the story jumps back and forth from past and present. I would have loved to have some chapters from Galel’s pov from time to time. Thrown in are a couple of chapters from a mysterious villain's perspective which I think helped to build the suspense and keep readers on the edge of the seat. Gray is a shy and proud young woman who strive for excellence and reach stardom. As a reader I love the message that is delivered that anybody can achieve anything they put their mind to. Galel starts out as an ex who you have to hate but as the story unfolds you realize things aren't always what they seem and I was quickly routing for Galel to get his girl. Duarte has given readers a well thought out and written story that gives you all the feels. I would highly recommended it and look forward to reading more from them!
~ALI~
This story is one that will stick with me for a while. I thoroughly enjoyed my first book by Duarte. Flightless takes the reader on an incredible emotional journey. Gray and Galel are two powerful main characters and I fell in love with both of them. Told in the first person pov from Gray, the story jumps back and forth from past and present. I would have loved to have some chapters from Galel’s pov from time to time. Thrown in are a couple of chapters from a mysterious villain's perspective which I think helped to build the suspense and keep readers on the edge of the seat. Gray is a shy and proud young woman who strive for excellence and reach stardom. As a reader I love the message that is delivered that anybody can achieve anything they put their mind to. Galel starts out as an ex who you have to hate but as the story unfolds you realize things aren't always what they seem and I was quickly routing for Galel to get his girl. Duarte has given readers a well thought out and written story that gives you all the feels. I would highly recommended it and look forward to reading more from them!
January 2, 2017
Flightless by L.Duarte is a book about coming home, and discovering things about yourself that were there are along but you chose to ignore.
Gray had an interesting childhood, being abandoned in a cemetery and later being adopted by a loving woman who was her "mama". Gray was a loner until she met a boy that stole her heart and never gave it back, even years later.
Galel loved Gray when they were teenagers and he loved her now even as an adult. When Gray returns home for the first time since leaving, she is faced with the love that broke her heart while trying to support her mother. Galel is determined to make Gray remember that she loved him and once and perhaps still does whole Gray is determined to avoid him at all costs.
Can Gray finally forgive Galel the past? Can they move forward as friends? You need to read to find out.
3 stars
Gray had an interesting childhood, being abandoned in a cemetery and later being adopted by a loving woman who was her "mama". Gray was a loner until she met a boy that stole her heart and never gave it back, even years later.
Galel loved Gray when they were teenagers and he loved her now even as an adult. When Gray returns home for the first time since leaving, she is faced with the love that broke her heart while trying to support her mother. Galel is determined to make Gray remember that she loved him and once and perhaps still does whole Gray is determined to avoid him at all costs.
Can Gray finally forgive Galel the past? Can they move forward as friends? You need to read to find out.
3 stars
June 22, 2017
Not how I thought it would turn out. The entire book had me wondering. I would put it down and conjure up a scenario in my head so when the last 30% was unfolding I realized I'm wrong. I was blown away What a finish #❤ You will love this novel # The author likes to incorporate some sort of music in her books and this was no exception. Grey the pop star was awesome . A must read
This book... wow.
Flightless is more than a second chance romance. It's a story that deals with loss and abandonment; redemption and reclamation. It was a journey that took some twists and turns that caught me by surprise. I can wholeheartedly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
This book... wow.
Flightless is more than a second chance romance. It's a story that deals with loss and abandonment; redemption and reclamation. It was a journey that took some twists and turns that caught me by surprise. I can wholeheartedly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
January 29, 2017
Gray was found in a cemetery and adopted by a loving woman who brought her up well, she was always a loner. That is until she met Galel and he stole her heart as well as broke it so she left but ten years have past and she has to return. Galel loved Gray when they were young and still loves her now even though he has tried to move on, he is determined to make her his again but there is more to their story from back when she was first born. This story uncovers so many secrets with twists and turns that you won't want to put it down. I received this from the author and this is my honest unbiased review.
December 30, 2016
Review to come
January 2, 2017
*** 4.5 Stars! ***
Review to follow...
Review to follow...
dnf
February 7, 2017DNF @ 30%; therefore, no rating. Just not my cuppa--too much of a sweet, slow burn for me, and I couldn't handle the nickname or the underuse of contractions.
December 22, 2018
3.5 star
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