Leaving The Pieces Behind

by R.M. Demeester

Serenity Rupert, a former foster child, is struggling to keep it together with no money and a life in shambles. With no family to turn to, she’s desperate to find a job to pay rent. When things seem to be their bleakest, William, a kind and charming stranger appears and helps her find employment.

With her life back on track, Serenity ventures to reconnect with her estranged family and discovers William’s arrival in her life may not have been as unexpected as it seemed. Is William the key to Serenity making peace with her past or does he have ulterior motives?

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2019

About the author

R.M. Demeester, from Saskatchewan, loves being a mom, reading books, and writing. She's been writing since she was very young. Today, she's known for her stories in women's fiction, romantic suspense, and thrillers.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

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Blurb:
Serenity Rupert, a former foster child, is struggling to keep it together with no money and a life in shambles. With no family to turn to, she’s desperate to find a job to pay rent. When things seem to be their bleakest, William, a kind and charming stranger appears and helps her find employment.

With her life back on track, Serenity ventures to reconnect with her estranged family and discovers William’s arrival in her life may not have been as unexpected as it seemed. Is William the key to Serenity making peace with her past or does he have ulterior motives?

[Joni Martins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review

Basic Details:
Book Title: Leaving The Pieces Behind
Subtitle:
Author: R.M. Demeester
Genre: Romance
Part of a series?
Order in series:
Best read after earlier books in series? N/A
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Overall score:
I scored this book 4/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short Summary of the book:
As a former foster child, Serenity does not have it easy. She struggles to make ends meet but never gives up. When she meets William, her life takes a different road. But does he have ulterior motives?
What I liked about the book:
Serenity is a strong person who does not give in. William lends her a helping hand and she takes it.
What I didn’t like about the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My favourite bits in the book:
When we find out why William is keen to help.
My least favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
I understand the author has written several other books.
What books could this be compared to and why?
This book looks at a slightly different angle to romance
Recommendation:
In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:

Children No
Young Adult Maybe
Adult Yes

If you like romance, this book may be the book for you.

I look forward to reading more by this author.
Book Description by Author:
Serenity Rupert, a former foster child, is struggling to keep it together with no money and a life in shambles. With no family to turn to, she’s desperate to find a job to pay rent. When things seem to be their bleakest, William, a kind and charming stranger appears and helps her find employment.

With her life back on track, Serenity ventures to reconnect with her estranged family and discovers William’s arrival in her life may not have been as unexpected as it seemed. Is William the key to Serenity making peace with her past or does he have ulterior motives?
About the Author:
R.M. Demeester lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the mother of three young children, and owner of a rescue dog, a chocolate lab, Gainer. R.M. Demeester has been writing for as long as she could hold a pencil. She writes women's fiction, new adult, and sweet romance primarily. She has two women's fiction novels set to be released in 2019, along with several short stories.

[Sheila M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a well-written, thought-provoking, emotional story about family, expectations, and letting go. The story describes the life of Serenity, a 24-year-old former foster child, with a tumultuous relationship with her mother and siblings. Serenity’s mother suffered from depression severe enough that she lost her children multiple times to foster care. Serenity, her sister Harmony, and brother Dayton were always split up while in care, but when they were with their mother, Serenity helped care for her siblings. Unfortunately, some families have a relative that can’t seem to stay out of trouble and/or have money problems. Serenity’s siblings were that way and used her emotionally and financially to the point that Serenity had to separate herself from them. Life had beaten her down to the point she was so impoverished that she didn’t have enough money to eat, especially after she lost her job at a bakery. She was also emotionally closed off to relationships with others. Serenity’s relationship with her family was a string of broken promises, disappointments, and abandonment, especially with her mother. Serenity’s life changed when she met William. He helped her get back on her feet financially and he taught her that there were people out there she could trust.

The book makes you question how much you would put up with to have a relationship with a family member, especially if you are alone and emotionally isolated. The story features flashbacks from Serenity’s childhood, but flows easily between the time periods without being confusing. The emotional topics seemed to be written in highs and lows, just like her mother’s mental health, which was the driving factor behind the story. While the book covered some hard topics and there was a lot of angst, overall, it was a sweet story about finding peace by leaving the pieces of your life behind so you can move forward in the future. I highly recommend this book. One point deducted for the grammatical and formatting issues.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katherine Hayward Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Serenity has been through a tough childhood, economic problems and disappointments with family. She's been in many foster homes. Will life ever change for her?

I loved her and William's story. He was helpful, kind and caring. I was glad that, after what happened with her mother, her mother at least showed some concern and regret about not being there more for Serenity. I hoped that was genuine. I was irritated with her sister Harmony and felt for her at her sadness and frustration at her dysfunctional family who invented excuses a lot.

I loved her mempries of baking with her mother and also all the references to doughnuts. The baking scene with Serenity and William was romantic. A lot of what he did was.

Leaving The Pieces Behind is raw, shocking and gripping. It's emotional and action packed.

4 stars

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, while I think the storyline was good, it was at time repetitive. I think the biggest difficulty for me on this one was the narration that was so monotone it made the actual story and characters hard to follow much less relate to. Our main characters are Serenity & William. I love how they met, I love William thru and thru - the perfect guy (too perfect, maybe?!?). I have a hard time finding good things to say about Serenity's character. I do think she had a difficult childhood and overall she seems to have come out the other end well if not for being a bit of a loner (not sure how William managed to get thru). Full of family dynamics and trouble but a HEA in the end...

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.

[PAMpublish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novel of a past foster child thrust into an adult world bearing much emotional baggage. Author does a wonderful job of expressing the emotional turmoil of main character, Serenity, learning how to once again deal with her past baggage while forming new deeper feelings for her current boyfriend. Constantly guarded against further hurt and rejection by her dysfunctional family, with the help of her new boyfriend who has experienced similar trauma, she learns how to once again reach out, opening new doors while closing others. Author portrays an excellent understanding of the vulnerabilities, delving into the emotional traumas of children from damaged backgrounds attempting to adapt to the independence of an adult world.

[Damien Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt romance and ‘coming of age’ story

Leaving the Pieces Behind is a sweet, contemporary romance made more interesting with the added challenges of Serenity’s dysfunctional past as a foster child, and conflicts from a fragile family situation. The chemistry between the characters intensifies as the story unfolds, and I found myself really hoping for a reconciliation between Serenity and her mother as much as for a happy ending to the romance storyline. Easy-to-read, more than just a romance.

[Hanny Carmel · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's the third book of R.M. Demeester that I've read lately, and I'm saddened to say that I couldn't find anything I liked in this one, while the two others received 5 stars reviews.
I did not like the main character - she was whiny and he was simply not interesting.
I did not understand the need for this story - could not figure out what the author's message was supposed to be.
The narrator sounded tired, or as if she did not understand the purpose of this book.
I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn’t have such a dark atmosphere that RM’s book have.
Even that Serenity struggles add such a sadness! But it’s like we see the light energing at dawn.
I like Serenity a lot! Such a good soul, helping everyone and being let down of the most of them! And have to overcame so many problems in her life.
I like her stubborness to not profit of Wiliam (decision that he will understand after a time).
And I like that they are perfect to each other.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Teresa James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serenity & William...I'm glad they have each other. I enjoyed this story and could relate to everything Serenity went through. Her life was a little turbulent due to childhood struggles. But I love how she loved "family" despite what she went through and her search for her father. The narrator wasn't bad although was a little bland. I was going to give 4 stars but I decided 5 because of the way the story ended. I like the feeling it gave me and I smiled.

[kathy gartlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is very emotional, the main character Serenity has gotten the short end of the stick for her whole life. She does not trust easy so she is distant from everyone. Her family uses her. Until one day she meets man. He turns out to be someone she was in foster care with. She lost her job had no money and the rent was due her roommates kept asking her for money for the groceries and the rent. What does end with a happy ending but it is a ride.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serenity has had a difficult life. She was in foster care fore most of her childhood, then tossed out the door once she turned 18. After being let go from her job at a bakery, Serenity doesn't know how she'll come up with her portion of rent when she runs into William, a young man from one of her foster homes. This story is sad at first, but ultimately ends in a HEA Very highly recommended.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well written and fast paced. It was full of emotion, learning to trust,understanding the past, looking for a better future and a HEA. This is my first book by this author and I will follow her to see what she has next. It was an enjoyable read. I received it from booksprout and voluntarily left my review.

[Coffeebreakwhatever · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous story! I listened to this audible book - and was totally floored, not just with the story, but the "reasons" that the author used to make the story and why the character is the way she is! The author did a fantastic job writing this story so that not only do you enjoy the story but your mind is allowed to figure/assume or think of the "what ifs" and the since it is also written in what could be "current day" and a life that a real person very well could have, it was nice to read about something that really could happen and a person that is in that situation. This allows the reader to feel what the main character is feeling.

Serenity is just a working-class, hourly-paid 24-year-old woman who was brought up in foster care and pulled in and out of families, along with her brother and sister and is literally living paycheck to paycheck with nothing in between - just barely surviving. No family, no friends and just getting laid off her job. She is on her own trying to make ends meet. So many things happen in the story, and with every issue or event that happened, I found myself coming up with questions as to why it happened and who did it, etc.

Out of the blue, she literally bumps into William - middle-class businessman who offers to buy her a coffee a few times then seems to just be there when she gets mugged - I was thinking "William set it up for her to be mugged and is trying to "recruit" her up for something bad". Then I thought, "is he her father? Is that really his job or is it a disguise?" things like that. Then things settle and my assumptions was wrong and things are calm for a bit and then BAM! Something happens to her and the thinking starts again which keeps the reader really involved in the story! Never a dull moment! She has issues with her estranged sister, estranged brother, her mother, her past, and trying to explain her emotions to William. And of course, who is her father? Is he a crime lord or a high-powered Senator, neither of which wants to have her tarnish their reputation? And what about the secrets her mother has been keeping from her? So many possibilities!

I don't want to give any spoilers so I will end it by saying - the story was really good, but the REASONS Serenity was as she was, were what I think the author used to make the story even better and more emotional. Serenity has to come to terms with her past and separate the positive things that made her the strong, independent, hard-working, hopeful woman she is today, while "leaving the pieces behind" that have caused her to fall, fail and continually hinder her ability to move ahead in life and make a future for herself.

[Quanita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demeester has to be the reigning master of dysfunctional family stories. A young woman who spent her childhood being shuffled from one foster home to another is determined to find out who her father is/was. Her mother, who lost custody of the children for unknown reasons, refuses to tell her. No sugar coating here, but the story ends on happy note.

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story we follow Serenity and William. She hasn't had an easy time as a foster child. But it was nice to read that despite everything she has been through, Serenity can still find and find love. They were great together. This is a recommended read.

I received an Advance Reader sample of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angelica Larsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wellwritten book filled with emotions and lovely characters.
The storyline is great and I would love to read more about William and Serenity

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer Richey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional

Growing up serenity had a hard life she was in foster care for some and she was taken advantage of so when a man like William notices her she has a hard time with trust but could this be a ghost from her past?

[Kirsty Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a moving story. The main character and her overcoming her issues to move forward with her life was relatable and understandable. William proved to be the perfect gentleman for her. Good pacing.

[Laurie Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy read about a young lady who has had a difficult life. However, she is mostly an optimist despite numerous set backs. Thanks to a new friend or two things are on the up and up, but not without further turmoil. A challenging life lived to it's fullest is described very well.

[Terry M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving story. Serenity has had a tumultuous upbringing and struggles to keep ahead of the many curve balls live throws at her. Will her luck change with her chance meeting of William? Only time will tell. I received an ARC copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sammye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an emotional story of a young woman’s many life struggles. It’s well written and kept me optimistic that things would get better for her. Things seemed to be moving forward when William came into her life. I really enjoyed this fabulous story.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are twists and turns to the story that are unexpected. Interesting characters that make the story. Plenty of drama and secrets that make the book hard to put down. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadine Keels]

Reviewed at Online Book Club. I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[Nati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serenity’s life has been hard from the beginning and now she is jobless and trying to make ends meet. Can meets my William change her life forever? Is he really a stranger or they have a connection?

[Annette Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok

This story is ok. Unfortunately it has quite a few spelling mistakes also some editorial errors. So if your paying for this book, I don’t think the story is worth paying for.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a look into the life of Serenity Rupert. Although I found the book a slower read than I am used to, I also found it delightful. If you stepped into some one else's shoes you may be surprised but what you find. That is the case with Serenity and her life story. Despite life being against her and the hardships she endures, Serenity is able to keep her own life on a steady path that makes for a great read.