A novel proving art transcends all which divides us as human beings.
“We were just meant to be and fate in all her conniving, wicked glory, wouldn’t have had this union any other way.”
Hetty is determined not to be a victim but she doesn’t see that in some ways, she still is. When something doesn’t go how she wants it to, she finds it incredibly difficult to overcome, and continually avoids situations outside of her control.
It isn’t just love that will change her, though. Oh, no. Cue a series of events which will shape the woman she will be ever after.
Enter three men, each with a lesson to deliver. One, an unassuming father figure. The next, a lover. The last, a friend from a different world to hers.
Hetty’s journey is a surprising, exciting and humbling one which may draw tears of laughter and of sadness from the reader.
**This novel does contain some details which would spoil the Angel Avenue duet if you haven’t read it yet, but Hetty is a brand new and fully resolved standalone in itself, which can be read and understood without reading the other books.**
Some readers run at Sarah with hugs and kisses, while others shoot daggers at her for killing their favourite character off. Sarah can only apologise and say, "The story made me do it..."
Sarah Michelle Lynch is a former journalist who wrote a trilogy of science fiction novels while on maternity leave. In 2012 she took a deep breath and published the "Ravage Trilogy" which was later re-edited and became the UNITY novels. Sarah is lucky that some readers have been with her since the very beginning and have read all the different books she’s written.
It quickly became clear from reader response that Sarah has a flair for penning erotic scenes and so, Sarah took inspiration from real-life people around her and wrote "A Fine Profession", a compelling and compassionate read. At book signings readers often confess in a whisper that they’ve read this book – Sarah’s first erotic novel – and sometimes, readers have even admitted it’s their personal favourite.
Sarah loves nothing more than to put her feet up with a book and be consumed by a story, so in turn, she endeavours to give you all this and more.
Hetty is an absolute amazing story about a young woman who has had a hard upbringing. When she starts to date the one person she never thought she would Hetty, starts to see life and love in a different light.
I was given this book in turn for an honest review.
Hetty felt she wasn’t worthy of love; her aim to help others. Will Hetty allow love to consume her or will she purposely destroy it?
Outstanding, this story is, complete brilliance. From start to finish, Hetty's story consumed me. Sarah Michelle Lynch touches on the harsher realities of life. Her words are delivered, and written beautifully, you can feel the passion and emotion pouring from every word.
Hetty is heartbreakingly beautiful, her story will stir so many emotions within you. You will feel tears build, although they may not fall, from her most beautiful moments to her most tragic.
Strong, intelligent, witty, caring, and loving is how I would describe Hetty. It's hard not to love her character. She's the kind of friend any of us would be lucky to have, and she doesn't even realise it. Her determination to not be tainted by her life is inspiring. With the right people, around her she can achieve anything she puts her mind too.
Of those people, that touched and changed Hetty’s life, you will find a special place in your heart for each one. The man that guides her along this path we call life, the man that showed her how worthy, beautiful, talented, and loving she is, and the man that showed her the harsh reality of where allowing your past to consume you, and dictate to you, can lead you down a much darker, harsher path, and in a twisted heart-rending way it is this man that gave her the push she needed to accept the things that were right in front of her.
Hetty’s story is one I think many can relate to on some level. And if nothing else it will give you passion to live for the now and follow your dreams; to love with your whole heart and never say never.
This story is perfect for contemporary romance readers and although this is a spin off from the Angel Avenue series, which I have yet to read, I believe you can fully enjoy and appreciate this story without reading the other books.
If you've read Angel Avenue you'll already be aware of Hetty. Hetty is a very intelligent, caring and strong individual but like others she doesn't see it. She doesn't think she's worthy of anyone's love. Will she be able to accept it or taint it before it has a chance to grow. Hetty is a very moving story from start to finish (Tissues ready just in case) one you'll find hard to put down.
Every book of Sarah's I read I've loved and this one doesn't disappoint.
What a great book, Hetty’s story is quite inspirational.
Hetty has had a hard life, she is very private and like’s to hide away. When she gets some bad news she thinks her world is ending but in walks someone she least expects and she starts to see life in a different way, she realises life is for living.
The support network in this book was intriguing. Sometimes people just don’t realise what they have.
This book will make you laugh, cry, angry and just give you all the feels.
This is a truly beautiful story that made me connect with Hetty immensely. For those of you that have read the Angel Avenue series, you will already be familiar with Hetty and her background. Whilst it is a feature within the book I would recommend reading the series first to get the whole picture and be in the "moment" as Hetty's background unfolds.
In this book we met Hetty at a crucial point in her life, having set her mind on a career she is waiting to find out if it is plausible. A series of events turn Hetty's life and plan into chaos, and due to her previous experiences she is not equipped to cope with the changes. Hetty is at a low point in her life, not willing to believe in her self and her skills. She is floating around until an unlikely anchor comes along and grounds her. In Hetty's mind she feels that she is not good enough and risks letting her past ruin her future, what she does not realise is just how strong she really is. Hetty grows and develops as a character, she is strong enough to keep going and to help others.
When I finished the story I felt numb, there is no shockers, no cliffhangers, no twists. Its just a story that ends exactly where it should. Hetty will hold a place in my heart, capturing the essence of self belief and what a person can overcome.
To be truthful, the cover to this book is what drew me in. I know, I know. "Don't judge a book by its cover." I know! But I'm more than happy to say that this cover lives up to what is inside. The pages that fill this beautiful cover, the words within, the story, all of it!! I absolutely loved it. The gritty emotion and lucid detail were flawless. The author drew me in from the first page and didn't let me go. I'm still hooked on this amazing novel. This is the first book I read by Sarah, and it will not be my last. She has stolen my heart and I shall let her keep it! Hetty and her story are one I will not forget anytime soon. It's not every day you find a character you can relate to on a heart to heart level.
**This review was done in conjunction with Nerd Girl services**
I first met Hetty in the Angel avenue series. To get the full picture I recommend reading them first. However, Here we have a follow up. To me this was a heart warming read with a rocky path at times along the way. I had a rollercoaster of emotions reading this but When I'd finished it left me feeling complete. Sarah Michelle Lynch has a way with words that lures you in and keeps you hooked. You hang on to every written word until you've devoured them all. Another amazing read. 5 stars
** ARC received in return for an honest and unbiased review **
This is a good book! I love the characters and the 'realness' of them. As I was reading, I could imagine the scenes and the people involved. Why 4 stars you ask... Well, I thought the story needed something; a twist or an OMG moment. I just didn't get that. I will include that i did not read the prior books in the series and that may have helped with my understanding of some parts of the book, though it was noted that they are not required reading to understand this book.
I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end and everything about it. Hetty is a great character, one you'd just love to be friends with. I connected with her straight away, she made me laugh out loud with the things she came out with sometimes.
Hetty hasn't had a great past, but it's made her into the person she is today and I love her for it! What will she do when someone she least expects shows an interest in her? Will she ruin that like she thinks she has ruined everything else in her life? That is for you to find out!
This is a standalone but within a series. The author has done a fantastic job with this as you really do not need to read the others to get into it. I know this, as I haven't read the others YET...but I will definitely be one clicking them. I recommend that you do the same, you won't regret it!
I thought this book was great. I loved how I was able to connect to Hetty. There are so many things that happen in Hetty life that I can relate to in my own life. I love it when I can feel this way about a book and its characters. I would have to say this a must ready book!