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First Love
Eight years ago, Zora Henderson ran away from the man she loved and the family that forced her to have an abortion. Tragedy brings her back home again. Can she face the family and the town that betrayed her? And what of the man that she left behind? Zora also has a secret, one that may have her on the run again.
WARNING: This book deals with adult situations, it contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language. It may be considered offensive to some readers.
WARNING: This book deals with adult situations, it contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language. It may be considered offensive to some readers.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2018
447 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
May 16, 2018
Riddled with grammatical errors and an over the top, utterly ridiculous storyline. At first look this book had all my catnip and guilty pleasure tropes: friends to lovers, second chance romance, secret baby, interracial couple. Unfortunately, the end result was an over the top, poorly (really poorly) edited story with flashbacks shoehorned into every chapter and two flat as cardboard main characters who were truly horrible people set in a small southern town where, apparently, all the racists in the entire world live. I know there are horrible, ignorant people out there but in this book everyone is racist. Everyone. From Luke's and Zora's parents, to all their friends at school, to any person that came on the page. Luke and Zora are treated like they are plague carriers instead of two teenagers in lust. People pull their children close when they pass, they get kicked out of restaurants and patrons clap when they are forced to leave. Zora gets assaulted by ex girlfriends, called terrible names on the regular even by her own family, almost raped by an ex, assaulted by a racist cop in front of her daughter. And I won't even mention all the times random people just call her a whore. All because she had the temerity to date a white guy. Over the top doesn't even begin to cover it but I could have overlooked all of this if the main characters had been remotely likeable, alas, they are terrible people. Luke cheats on his fiancee with Zora. Zora is a-okay with said cheating and later calls the woman a psychotic bitch when the woman, a famous model, goes on tv to tell her story about how her famous football player fiancee cheated on her. And yes Luke is a famous football player and we know this because the author tells us so. There's absolutely no indication of his career other than in passing which brings me to Zora being a waitress struggling to make ends meet but somehow manages to take endless time off to deal with her family. So, the secret baby thing? Never you mind. Nothing actually get revealed until 82% into the story and her reasoning for keeping the secret was questionable at best. At that point I was so tired of correcting awful spelling and grammar in my head that I could not have cared less. The love scenes made me cringe, the love talk was excruciating, the excessive talk of Zora's prolific wetness and her "coochie throbbing" (sounded like a medical problem). The horrific descriptions of the hero's enormous manaconda appendage were absurd (mushroom head... big around as a baseball bat...!) and just icing on this crappy, dramatic cake. Not recommended.
April 20, 2020
Wow
So I loved the storyline. What I didn't like, there were a lot of flashbacks and that was really tiring. Also he didn't find out about Peyton till way later. I would have enjoyed the flashbacks being all at the front and the moving forward into their adult years.. That being said, I will definitely be reading this author again.
So I loved the storyline. What I didn't like, there were a lot of flashbacks and that was really tiring. Also he didn't find out about Peyton till way later. I would have enjoyed the flashbacks being all at the front and the moving forward into their adult years.. That being said, I will definitely be reading this author again.
May 19, 2018
3.5 Stars
I'm not really clear on when this story takes place, perhaps late 90s, if I hadn't known any better I would've thought this story was set in the 1950s or earlier. Everybody is against this interracial couple being together and that felt very unrealistic to me, given the time period. Luke is a good-looking, star high-school football player from the wrong side of the tracks. Zora is the daughter of a prominent lawyer father and her mother is a tenured professor at a top university. Luke and Zora are taunted and abused -- her, moreso than him. Her parents don't do anything to stop it, nor does the school. Nobody was in their corner. All that hatred got to be very, very tiring and way-over-the-top.
Luke and Zora are separated by choice (hers) and brought together years later by fate. I appreciated that the hero didn't try to punish her for the past. Luke, now engaged bumps into Zora and he wants closure. They meet, but he's not totally satisfied and feels like there's more to be said. Eventually, they continue to meet as friends and things heat up. They both made choices, they both knew what was at stake. Luke had an opportunity to tell his fiancee, face-to-face what was going on and remained silent. He doesn't get a pass or any brownie points for cleaning up the mess, after the fact -- because he was forced to do it. Zora doesn't get a pass either. Her secret, the pivotal reveal takes far, far too long to be revealed. In fact, I've never read a story where the reveal happens nearly at the end of the book.
Luke's friend and teammate Marshawn is comic relief. The arguments between the sisters are legendary. Good snark factor. Still, lots to like about this story.
I'm not really clear on when this story takes place, perhaps late 90s, if I hadn't known any better I would've thought this story was set in the 1950s or earlier. Everybody is against this interracial couple being together and that felt very unrealistic to me, given the time period. Luke is a good-looking, star high-school football player from the wrong side of the tracks. Zora is the daughter of a prominent lawyer father and her mother is a tenured professor at a top university. Luke and Zora are taunted and abused -- her, moreso than him. Her parents don't do anything to stop it, nor does the school. Nobody was in their corner. All that hatred got to be very, very tiring and way-over-the-top.
Luke and Zora are separated by choice (hers) and brought together years later by fate. I appreciated that the hero didn't try to punish her for the past. Luke, now engaged bumps into Zora and he wants closure. They meet, but he's not totally satisfied and feels like there's more to be said. Eventually, they continue to meet as friends and things heat up. They both made choices, they both knew what was at stake. Luke had an opportunity to tell his fiancee, face-to-face what was going on and remained silent. He doesn't get a pass or any brownie points for cleaning up the mess, after the fact -- because he was forced to do it. Zora doesn't get a pass either. Her secret, the pivotal reveal takes far, far too long to be revealed. In fact, I've never read a story where the reveal happens nearly at the end of the book.
Luke's friend and teammate Marshawn is comic relief. The arguments between the sisters are legendary. Good snark factor. Still, lots to like about this story.
Read
November 5, 2018You know a book is good when you start reading it on you lunch break and can’t stand to let go of it. Zora and Luke’s story will take you through a battery of emotions and keep you smiling and laughing in the process. Well-written and masterfully told. Excellent Read that will suck you in and keep you until the end. Read this book now, you will not regret it!
June 8, 2018
I caution anyone who wants to read this thinking you're going to read a sweet, angst-filled second chance romance. You won't. You'll probably want to call the NAACP and ACLU by the time you get not even a quarter of a way into this one.
The good:
Zora reading her bigoted family members for filth, clapbacking on those who constantly disrespected, verbally abused her for having the "gall" to fall in love with a white guy. She didn't take anyone's mess and for that I can give her a million slow claps. If she had been written to be a weak, whiny, wimpy doormat I probably would have DNF this one.
Peyton. She was cute and well-mannered for the most part, or the parts where she was brought back into the plot. At times she was kind of treated like Judy Winslow and if you have to ask who that is, well there you go.
Anything else good about this? .........
The bad:
This story was almost unreadable. What I mean by that is the poor grammar and editing. The writer switched tenses often in the same paragraph so I don't know if the story was intended to be told in first person present or past, you got a bad mixture of both. Misspelled words, missing words, etc. The content on top of the mental editing, I'm a bit exhausted not gonna lie. Whew chile there was so much going on. Which brings me to....
THE RACISM!! It completely overshadowed the second chance romance between Zora and Luke. It was friends, family, total strangers calling Zora racial slurs, epithets, assaulting her, vandalizing her property, leaving dead animals in her car, death threats, harassment, being set up to be raped. It was never ending. She got clubbed over the head with it, literally and figuratively. She couldn't leave her home or go out with Luke without them encountering someone who had something racist and sh*tty to say about their relationship. Oh and that happened when they were kids in high school. Eight years later it wasn't any better. There's no denying there are folks out there who still hold fast to the 'stick to your own' mentality, but I read for an escape from that. There was no escape from it in this book. I also disliked how everything happened to Zora and Zora only. Besides Luke's parents making remarks, he didn't suffer the same way she did. He defended her honor with his fists, but outside of that and being banned from her parent's house he didn't feel the brunt of loving a woman outside of his race. Luke got to make his dreams of playing in the NFL come true, while Zora struggled to raise their daughter on her own on top of being treated like a pariah. I have a ton more I want to get off my chest when it comes to Zora's treatment and relating that to how black women are treated in the real world, but I'mma stop there.
Lastly, why did it have to take well over half of the book for Luke to learn the truth? I knew he'd only end up being mad for two pages before things were righted. It just would have been nice to see he and Peyton work through the truth without that gap being bridged because of trope 178, of an upset child running away from home.
As I've been saying with a lot of my reading choices, this story had the potential to be really, really good. If there was less racism, more romance, better editing and a much more concise way of getting to the end I could have given this a much higher rating.
The good:
Zora reading her bigoted family members for filth, clapbacking on those who constantly disrespected, verbally abused her for having the "gall" to fall in love with a white guy. She didn't take anyone's mess and for that I can give her a million slow claps. If she had been written to be a weak, whiny, wimpy doormat I probably would have DNF this one.
Peyton. She was cute and well-mannered for the most part, or the parts where she was brought back into the plot. At times she was kind of treated like Judy Winslow and if you have to ask who that is, well there you go.
Anything else good about this? .........
The bad:
This story was almost unreadable. What I mean by that is the poor grammar and editing. The writer switched tenses often in the same paragraph so I don't know if the story was intended to be told in first person present or past, you got a bad mixture of both. Misspelled words, missing words, etc. The content on top of the mental editing, I'm a bit exhausted not gonna lie. Whew chile there was so much going on. Which brings me to....
THE RACISM!! It completely overshadowed the second chance romance between Zora and Luke. It was friends, family, total strangers calling Zora racial slurs, epithets, assaulting her, vandalizing her property, leaving dead animals in her car, death threats, harassment, being set up to be raped. It was never ending. She got clubbed over the head with it, literally and figuratively. She couldn't leave her home or go out with Luke without them encountering someone who had something racist and sh*tty to say about their relationship. Oh and that happened when they were kids in high school. Eight years later it wasn't any better. There's no denying there are folks out there who still hold fast to the 'stick to your own' mentality, but I read for an escape from that. There was no escape from it in this book. I also disliked how everything happened to Zora and Zora only. Besides Luke's parents making remarks, he didn't suffer the same way she did. He defended her honor with his fists, but outside of that and being banned from her parent's house he didn't feel the brunt of loving a woman outside of his race. Luke got to make his dreams of playing in the NFL come true, while Zora struggled to raise their daughter on her own on top of being treated like a pariah. I have a ton more I want to get off my chest when it comes to Zora's treatment and relating that to how black women are treated in the real world, but I'mma stop there.
Lastly, why did it have to take well over half of the book for Luke to learn the truth? I knew he'd only end up being mad for two pages before things were righted. It just would have been nice to see he and Peyton work through the truth without that gap being bridged because of trope 178, of an upset child running away from home.
As I've been saying with a lot of my reading choices, this story had the potential to be really, really good. If there was less racism, more romance, better editing and a much more concise way of getting to the end I could have given this a much higher rating.
March 20, 2020
Awesome
This is my first reading by this Author and I enjoyed this storyline very much. This story is relatable becuz racism has been at an all-time high in the pass year. I loved the relationship between the two main characters, all the things Zoe and Luke had to go through because they loved someone of a different race, I wished it was more to the story.
This is my first reading by this Author and I enjoyed this storyline very much. This story is relatable becuz racism has been at an all-time high in the pass year. I loved the relationship between the two main characters, all the things Zoe and Luke had to go through because they loved someone of a different race, I wished it was more to the story.
April 20, 2019
I don’t care for Zora I find her so selfish why does she think keeping a child away for 8 years is a good choice
Girl bye...
And still she believes it was the best decision
And these flashbacks omg
Why should I care about to teenagers who are dumb from the onset...
🙄
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This is by far the most idiotic books I’ve ever read. The female lead (Zora) is irritating and the male lead (Luke) has no depth to him.
I’m beginning to wonder if this book was set in the 1930’s or maybe the 1950’s because it seems everyone and their dogs had it out for this duo.
Why?
Back when they started dating they were called racist names. Zora was verbal and physically abuse and I can’t fathom how this was only happening to this flaky couple. The name calling, the verbal abuse and the constant flashbacks were tiring, overdone and a major turned off.
Since when it is a Sin for interracial couples to date after all these many years? In this book it seems like it was a crime to date outside your race. I’m baffled. I mean what’s so exceptional about these two dimwits?
Why did everyone hated them?
The parents, the siblings, the cops, the exes, I mean everyone, even a dam tree hated this couple. That was annoying and irksome to constantly learn about.
Also, why didn’t the author deem it necessary to permit the reader to know whose POV by simply tying the characters name on the start of a new chapter??
This book was not only horrifying, but it was the worse Second Chance, hiding baby Trope I’ve even read in my life.
It took the author’s endless, pointless flashbacks to reveal that the Ditzy Zora had the child and didn’t and still haven’t had the heart to tell Luke, who is supposedly a famous Quarterback that he was a father. I still don’t know how he was famous other than it was mentioned, yet there wasn’t anything eluding that he was such. She kept this secret for eight years selfishly thinking she was doing the right thing.
How? Stubbornness is to nice of a word to describe this one dimensional character.
It took the reader up until the 87% of this horrendous book for the hero to find out accidentally that the same child he had met countless times and felt an instant connection is actually his.
That reveal was like finding out someone step on a bomb and it turned out to be a cream pie.
These five stars are very misleading and this is one of the worst books I’ve encountered. I bid to wash this filth from my memory.
Girl bye...
And still she believes it was the best decision
And these flashbacks omg
Why should I care about to teenagers who are dumb from the onset...
🙄
This is by far the most idiotic books I’ve ever read. The female lead (Zora) is irritating and the male lead (Luke) has no depth to him.
I’m beginning to wonder if this book was set in the 1930’s or maybe the 1950’s because it seems everyone and their dogs had it out for this duo.
Why?
Back when they started dating they were called racist names. Zora was verbal and physically abuse and I can’t fathom how this was only happening to this flaky couple. The name calling, the verbal abuse and the constant flashbacks were tiring, overdone and a major turned off.
Since when it is a Sin for interracial couples to date after all these many years? In this book it seems like it was a crime to date outside your race. I’m baffled. I mean what’s so exceptional about these two dimwits?
Why did everyone hated them?
The parents, the siblings, the cops, the exes, I mean everyone, even a dam tree hated this couple. That was annoying and irksome to constantly learn about.
Also, why didn’t the author deem it necessary to permit the reader to know whose POV by simply tying the characters name on the start of a new chapter??
This book was not only horrifying, but it was the worse Second Chance, hiding baby Trope I’ve even read in my life.
It took the author’s endless, pointless flashbacks to reveal that the Ditzy Zora had the child and didn’t and still haven’t had the heart to tell Luke, who is supposedly a famous Quarterback that he was a father. I still don’t know how he was famous other than it was mentioned, yet there wasn’t anything eluding that he was such. She kept this secret for eight years selfishly thinking she was doing the right thing.
How? Stubbornness is to nice of a word to describe this one dimensional character.
It took the reader up until the 87% of this horrendous book for the hero to find out accidentally that the same child he had met countless times and felt an instant connection is actually his.
That reveal was like finding out someone step on a bomb and it turned out to be a cream pie.
These five stars are very misleading and this is one of the worst books I’ve encountered. I bid to wash this filth from my memory.
April 27, 2019
I have added this author to my list of favourites. I have loved every book I have read by her. Zora's story was totally heart-wrenching to me. How her own family treated her and wanted her to get rid of her child because she was in a mixed raced relationship, which no-one approved off. Forget about how the outside world viewed her relationship and all the awful things they did to her. What had me with my mouth falling open was the diabolical way her own flesh and blood treated her. I am not sure I would have been able to forgive them, they were nothing but total evil towards her.
Great story. I did not love the flashbacks. I too would have preferred the back story up front and then just deal with here and now. Nevertheless it was done nicely because each flash back dealt with the relevant part of the story. Great read would definitely recommend it. Great reading.
Great story. I did not love the flashbacks. I too would have preferred the back story up front and then just deal with here and now. Nevertheless it was done nicely because each flash back dealt with the relevant part of the story. Great read would definitely recommend it. Great reading.
April 28, 2018
Meh
This is my first time reading this author and this story is a pretty standard hidden baby book. It had the potential of being really great, if it weren't for the fact the story was nearly over(like 85% over) before it was revealed about Peyton. For me, that left little room for the additional conflicts that arose to be written out without seeming rushed.
This is my first time reading this author and this story is a pretty standard hidden baby book. It had the potential of being really great, if it weren't for the fact the story was nearly over(like 85% over) before it was revealed about Peyton. For me, that left little room for the additional conflicts that arose to be written out without seeming rushed.
July 10, 2018
This book!
This book was so bad and unrealistic lol I don't even know where to start. Please don't waste your money on this book e very time the main character would see Luke her panties was soaked really! Every other sentences about her panties be soaked because he was near her wow!! I'm done.
This book was so bad and unrealistic lol I don't even know where to start. Please don't waste your money on this book e very time the main character would see Luke her panties was soaked really! Every other sentences about her panties be soaked because he was near her wow!! I'm done.
June 14, 2018
Such a negative story.
I think the one star reviews have the story right. In real life, I figure that 3 percent are hard core racist and another 2 to 3 percent are soft core racists. However , per this author, all the racists went to live in the town of her story. Every character, white or black, are racists. Really? Then we have the h character where everyone, including family members, in this town hates her. If course, the H character is the cat's meow. Then the h returns home and spends most of the time being negative...wonder why she went home? At this point we are about 85 percent of the book and so we are off the races to get at the HEA. Then there is the cheating and the drama and there is so much negativity, that it weighs the story down. The only aspects of this book that is enjoyable is the love story that started when they were children that is a thread that continued through all the negative noise. The author and story has potential; however, needs to work on the negativity. I mean, even in the HEA, the h was planning on running back to Chicago because of all the negative press, press that she had a hand in creating. Oh, I forgot, everyone except the H and her daughter, hates her. If you are looking for a book to trump all the hate, this is not the book.
I think the one star reviews have the story right. In real life, I figure that 3 percent are hard core racist and another 2 to 3 percent are soft core racists. However , per this author, all the racists went to live in the town of her story. Every character, white or black, are racists. Really? Then we have the h character where everyone, including family members, in this town hates her. If course, the H character is the cat's meow. Then the h returns home and spends most of the time being negative...wonder why she went home? At this point we are about 85 percent of the book and so we are off the races to get at the HEA. Then there is the cheating and the drama and there is so much negativity, that it weighs the story down. The only aspects of this book that is enjoyable is the love story that started when they were children that is a thread that continued through all the negative noise. The author and story has potential; however, needs to work on the negativity. I mean, even in the HEA, the h was planning on running back to Chicago because of all the negative press, press that she had a hand in creating. Oh, I forgot, everyone except the H and her daughter, hates her. If you are looking for a book to trump all the hate, this is not the book.
August 24, 2023
😐
My feelings are all over the place and it’s leaning towards negative.
But I’m just gonna focus on the positives of the story.
I liked how even though she personally had all this family drama she still lets Peyton get to know the family without that Interference.
And that’s the only good thing I could think about when it comes to this book. The black trauma was a lot of the focus of the book. It was the conflict in most of the situation.
I’m just not into so much of the book, being in someway, dealing with the aftermath of black trauma, or the president of black in a romance.
My feelings are all over the place and it’s leaning towards negative.
But I’m just gonna focus on the positives of the story.
I liked how even though she personally had all this family drama she still lets Peyton get to know the family without that Interference.
And that’s the only good thing I could think about when it comes to this book. The black trauma was a lot of the focus of the book. It was the conflict in most of the situation.
I’m just not into so much of the book, being in someway, dealing with the aftermath of black trauma, or the president of black in a romance.
May 28, 2018
Emotional ride
This is my first book to read by this author, and it took me on an emotional ride. Luke and Zora endured so much to be together. Does made the ultimately sacrifice to do what was best for her and Luke at the time. The way they loved each other was desirable. They tried to stay away from each other after reuniting but the pull was too strong. Second chances and forgiveness played a huge roll in this story. I read it first on KU, but I'm going to buy it and add to my collection. No details were left unturned. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
This is my first book to read by this author, and it took me on an emotional ride. Luke and Zora endured so much to be together. Does made the ultimately sacrifice to do what was best for her and Luke at the time. The way they loved each other was desirable. They tried to stay away from each other after reuniting but the pull was too strong. Second chances and forgiveness played a huge roll in this story. I read it first on KU, but I'm going to buy it and add to my collection. No details were left unturned. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
November 27, 2022
AAAAWWWWW...I loved this story!
This second chance story was wonderful. Luke Trent and Zora Henderson proved that love is forever and endured everything. This couple went through a hell of a lot that senior year in high school from so called friends and family. Zora pushed Luke away, on the advice of her sister Maya, so he could make his dream come true and he did. After an eight year separation, life goes on, and Luke attempted to go with his life but still could not get Zora out of his mind and neither did she. With that chance meeting of Zora in the grocery store and Payton in the park, he did not realize that he was making a connection to make all of his dreams come true.
Tia wrote a story that just drew me in. I really connected with this couple's story. I could feel the anguish this couple felt with everyone being against their love. It was actually like I was witnessing the scene of Zora being attacked and feeling helpless not being able to help her and cheered every time Luke and Zora's brother Langston came to her rescue. This story reminds me so much of my favorite bible verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4- 8 where it talks about love, "Love is patience, love is kind ... It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." In Luke and Zora's case, love is colorblind as well. Great job Tia. You had me crying like a big baby with this well done !
This second chance story was wonderful. Luke Trent and Zora Henderson proved that love is forever and endured everything. This couple went through a hell of a lot that senior year in high school from so called friends and family. Zora pushed Luke away, on the advice of her sister Maya, so he could make his dream come true and he did. After an eight year separation, life goes on, and Luke attempted to go with his life but still could not get Zora out of his mind and neither did she. With that chance meeting of Zora in the grocery store and Payton in the park, he did not realize that he was making a connection to make all of his dreams come true.
Tia wrote a story that just drew me in. I really connected with this couple's story. I could feel the anguish this couple felt with everyone being against their love. It was actually like I was witnessing the scene of Zora being attacked and feeling helpless not being able to help her and cheered every time Luke and Zora's brother Langston came to her rescue. This story reminds me so much of my favorite bible verse from 1 Corinthians 13:4- 8 where it talks about love, "Love is patience, love is kind ... It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." In Luke and Zora's case, love is colorblind as well. Great job Tia. You had me crying like a big baby with this well done !
May 30, 2018
Ok read
I was a bit disappointed. The synopsis was intriguing but after I started reading I became disinterested. I skipped most of it but still got the gist of the story. I loved Aaron's Patience way better.
I was a bit disappointed. The synopsis was intriguing but after I started reading I became disinterested. I skipped most of it but still got the gist of the story. I loved Aaron's Patience way better.
December 1, 2018
Well, crap the waterfalls were flowing with this one.... Review to come!
December 13, 2019
I've had enough of Tiya Rayne's books--they're too dark and heavy for my taste.
June 21, 2019
This started off like a book by Zane, except the author is a bit less skilled. I tried to carry on, but the plot started to get old and angst shouldn't have foreshadowing! Plus there were numerous typos and other editing errors. And yet, there were many cute and clever bits tossed in, which kept me engaged.
I gave up near 50%, but someone else with a higher tolerance for lovers being stupid will probably enjoy this.
I gave up near 50%, but someone else with a higher tolerance for lovers being stupid will probably enjoy this.
February 22, 2021
Amazing. Absolutely, amazing story telling. Zora and Luke, true love, powerful love, lasting love, forgiven love. Their story was told by the author with so much passion. You can feel that passion with every word read. First Love is much more than a great read. I highly recommend the story of Zora and Luke. Oh, and do have a box of tissue for the times their story becomes all so sad. But, the HEA is well worth it all.
July 14, 2023
Phenomenal
This book is phenomenal. I experienced so many strong emotions. Zora and Luke went through hell to get their HEA. I cried multiple times because of the hurt, pain and injustice Zora endured. This book dives into the issues of racism surrounding interracial couples. This is compounded by a teen pregnancy and the sacrifices that needed to be made.
This book is phenomenal. I experienced so many strong emotions. Zora and Luke went through hell to get their HEA. I cried multiple times because of the hurt, pain and injustice Zora endured. This book dives into the issues of racism surrounding interracial couples. This is compounded by a teen pregnancy and the sacrifices that needed to be made.
August 12, 2018
Well, I was glued to this book past my bedtime again, despite some things that troubled me about the story. Here's the thing, Zora and Luke have loved each other since they were kids. They begin a romantic relationship in high school and she falls pregnant. That's when the over-the-top flashbacks get really crazy. You would think this was set in the 50s or 60s in the South, but it's set in the current times and I only know that because of the reference to Peyton Manning and Michael Jordan. I am sorry, but it became a bit much with the racism these two experienced simply because they were dating. I mean, the author really really wants to drive it home that nobody wanted them together because they were an interracial couple. Anyway, Zora and Luke break up as she was forced by her family to abort their baby..secrets are held and for 8 years, she and Luke go their separate ways. She flees that racist town she is from but returns because her dad is ill. Then the reunification story of Luke and Zora begins. He left that racist town too after their break up, and goes on to become a big football star, just like he dreamed. Zora had a harder life in those 8 years apart, but despite the reasons for her leaving him being kind of a mess, you still get drawn into how they find their way back to each other. Everything gets wrapped up into a nice pretty package at the end so don't worry. There's also a lot of really hot love scenes and really I couldn't put the book down for the simple fact that I wanted to see how Luke finds out all the secrets Zora has been holding back from him. Anyway, I would say more 3.5 stars.
April 26, 2018
Absolutely great!!
A page Turner, with wonderful characters... The hateful things they had to go through from all sides... ,even from their own family, and still Luke and Zora's love gets stonger...
8 years of sacrifices from Zora , so remarkable!! And Luke, gee ! I love the man.
Great characters,great storyline!! And "Tiya Rayne", you are a wonderful storyteller!♥♥
Here is a little taste folks:
"...for someone to tell me it would be ok. That it wasn’t the end of the world.” My tears are falling faster down my face now. “But I didn’t get that. I was reminded of how big of a fuck up I was. How selfish I was being for wanting to keep my baby. How wrong I was for falling for a man that loved me and supported me. I love him. I love him so much.” I break down as I say those words...."
A page Turner, with wonderful characters... The hateful things they had to go through from all sides... ,even from their own family, and still Luke and Zora's love gets stonger...
8 years of sacrifices from Zora , so remarkable!! And Luke, gee ! I love the man.
Great characters,great storyline!! And "Tiya Rayne", you are a wonderful storyteller!♥♥
Here is a little taste folks:
"...for someone to tell me it would be ok. That it wasn’t the end of the world.” My tears are falling faster down my face now. “But I didn’t get that. I was reminded of how big of a fuck up I was. How selfish I was being for wanting to keep my baby. How wrong I was for falling for a man that loved me and supported me. I love him. I love him so much.” I break down as I say those words...."
April 28, 2018
True Love...never dies
Tiya Rayne.....Aka K. C....is one of my favorite IR writers...she captures your heart and soul and never let go till the very last word....I encourage everyone to please pick up her Lilly series...Luke and Zora took us through heartache,pain,trials,separation...and finally they are reunited....with Peyton as a wonderful surprise...and then their world is turned upside down..once again...but this time..they are together fighting ignorance and bigotry with their families and friends giving them all the love and support they need...now they can fight back...together
Tiya Rayne.....Aka K. C....is one of my favorite IR writers...she captures your heart and soul and never let go till the very last word....I encourage everyone to please pick up her Lilly series...Luke and Zora took us through heartache,pain,trials,separation...and finally they are reunited....with Peyton as a wonderful surprise...and then their world is turned upside down..once again...but this time..they are together fighting ignorance and bigotry with their families and friends giving them all the love and support they need...now they can fight back...together
April 5, 2020
Second Chances All Around...
First of all, had I not liked the book so extremely much, I would have docked two stars for grammatical errors. That being said, I can't give enough praises for Zora and Luke's story! They fell for each other in first grade. They finally admitted their feelings for each other as seniors in high school. They faced blatant racism from both sides, Zora was bullied, assaulted multiple times and the cherry on top was her pregnancy. With Luke's future at stake and being totally let down by her own family, Zora did the only thing she felt she could do for the best interests of all concerned...
First of all, had I not liked the book so extremely much, I would have docked two stars for grammatical errors. That being said, I can't give enough praises for Zora and Luke's story! They fell for each other in first grade. They finally admitted their feelings for each other as seniors in high school. They faced blatant racism from both sides, Zora was bullied, assaulted multiple times and the cherry on top was her pregnancy. With Luke's future at stake and being totally let down by her own family, Zora did the only thing she felt she could do for the best interests of all concerned...
April 25, 2018
A hard road to love
I couldn’t put this book down. I’m a sucker for high school sweethearts. Zora and Luke went through a world of hurt. It always pains me to read how hateful people can be. I hated how mean her parents were about their love. They had no support. Despite all they’ve been through I was rooting for this couple who faced despicable obstacles. I’m not going to give it away. It’s a wonderful story! Be sure to read it. It’s one heck of a page turner that had me in tears.
I couldn’t put this book down. I’m a sucker for high school sweethearts. Zora and Luke went through a world of hurt. It always pains me to read how hateful people can be. I hated how mean her parents were about their love. They had no support. Despite all they’ve been through I was rooting for this couple who faced despicable obstacles. I’m not going to give it away. It’s a wonderful story! Be sure to read it. It’s one heck of a page turner that had me in tears.
July 8, 2018
A good storyline spoiled by the editing
I would have given this 4 stars, if it hadn't been for the atrocious grammatical errors. It felt like the author did not have anyone to proofread this. I actually felt offended at certain parts in the book and I am genuinely confused why there were so many 5 stars.
I would have given this 4 stars, if it hadn't been for the atrocious grammatical errors. It felt like the author did not have anyone to proofread this. I actually felt offended at certain parts in the book and I am genuinely confused why there were so many 5 stars.
May 9, 2018
Fighting for love
This is my first book by this author and I loved it! Luke Trent and Zora Henderson knew they were soulmates ever since they were six years old! This is a beautiful story of love, heartbreak and second chances!
This is my first book by this author and I loved it! Luke Trent and Zora Henderson knew they were soulmates ever since they were six years old! This is a beautiful story of love, heartbreak and second chances!
June 16, 2020
Good Read, BUT
Here's my Succinct Review
Here's my Succinct Review
May 28, 2018
4 1\2 Stars
This was a " don't wanna put it down " book. It was very interesting. Had just a few typo's. Nothing to unreadable. Can't wait for another book in this gender
This was a " don't wanna put it down " book. It was very interesting. Had just a few typo's. Nothing to unreadable. Can't wait for another book in this gender
June 30, 2019
Excellent
One of the best bwwm romance novels I've read in a long time. It's not every day you meet your soul mate at the age of six. Book is rife family drama and steamy passion.
One of the best bwwm romance novels I've read in a long time. It's not every day you meet your soul mate at the age of six. Book is rife family drama and steamy passion.
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