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Starting Over At Sunset Cottage
Do you love someone enough to let them go?
It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
Finally succumbing to maternal pressure, Flick falls into the high-flying career her mother believed she was destined for.
However, she soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Meanwhile, Jim is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, when an unexpected visitor brings painful news. A letter from beyond the grave leads him to do something he never imagined and takes him on a journey he didn’t anticipate.
Can either of them heal and truly move on?
Or is it true that a broken heart can never be a blank canvas?
This book was previously published as Through the Glass.
It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
Finally succumbing to maternal pressure, Flick falls into the high-flying career her mother believed she was destined for.
However, she soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Meanwhile, Jim is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, when an unexpected visitor brings painful news. A letter from beyond the grave leads him to do something he never imagined and takes him on a journey he didn’t anticipate.
Can either of them heal and truly move on?
Or is it true that a broken heart can never be a blank canvas?
This book was previously published as Through the Glass.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2013
136 people are currently reading
268 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
January 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this story. At first I thought I was in for a festive read because of the cover, but that is only because snow is a significant part of the plot development. Aside from it finishing at Christmas, this is definitely an all-year rounder.
This is a re-write of an older story from Hobman and I think this is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it as much as I did: it definitely feels and reads differently to other novels I have read from this author. The story opens with the end of Jim and Flick’s marriage – quite a sobering beginning for the genre! However, the novel is non-linear and shows how Jim and Flick’s relationship started… and failed. I liked how Hobman doesn’t rigidly move from the early days to present times between Flick and Jim; instead, different episodes are recalled that are linked to whatever the character is experiencing. It made for a more interesting read.
Based on the split narrative, I found it difficult to sympathise with one character more than the other. In some situations, it is heartbreaking to see Jim suffering when his wife appears to have transformed into a career-monster. Yet, I understood Flick’s frustration towards her husband, even though the influence from her mother was also particularly shocking. When circumstances throw the pair together again, I was fascinated by reading both characters interpretation of events, trying to gauge how the other is feeling.
Whilst some may consider the plot predictable, I enjoyed watching the story unfold. When it moves to Chicago, I was curious to see whether there would be any reconciliation between the split characters, especially as distance and negative emotions added more tension between them. However, I liked how Hobman keeps readers on tenterhooks as we do not know whether this will become a tragic love story or one that ends on new beginnings once and for all.
Overall, I thought this was a story with more depth as we follow the rise and fall of Flick and Jim’s relationship. The Scottish setting added some charm to an otherwise lovely story.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a re-write of an older story from Hobman and I think this is one of the reasons why I enjoyed it as much as I did: it definitely feels and reads differently to other novels I have read from this author. The story opens with the end of Jim and Flick’s marriage – quite a sobering beginning for the genre! However, the novel is non-linear and shows how Jim and Flick’s relationship started… and failed. I liked how Hobman doesn’t rigidly move from the early days to present times between Flick and Jim; instead, different episodes are recalled that are linked to whatever the character is experiencing. It made for a more interesting read.
Based on the split narrative, I found it difficult to sympathise with one character more than the other. In some situations, it is heartbreaking to see Jim suffering when his wife appears to have transformed into a career-monster. Yet, I understood Flick’s frustration towards her husband, even though the influence from her mother was also particularly shocking. When circumstances throw the pair together again, I was fascinated by reading both characters interpretation of events, trying to gauge how the other is feeling.
Whilst some may consider the plot predictable, I enjoyed watching the story unfold. When it moves to Chicago, I was curious to see whether there would be any reconciliation between the split characters, especially as distance and negative emotions added more tension between them. However, I liked how Hobman keeps readers on tenterhooks as we do not know whether this will become a tragic love story or one that ends on new beginnings once and for all.
Overall, I thought this was a story with more depth as we follow the rise and fall of Flick and Jim’s relationship. The Scottish setting added some charm to an otherwise lovely story.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Jim MacDuff is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, after the love of his life Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart decided she didn't love him anymore and wanted more from life. With constant pursuasion from her mother who constantly tells Felicity, Jim is not good enough for her and she deserves so much more. She starts to believe it. All Jim has ever wanted was Flick and he thought he had the perfect life, until he had to start again. Then a letter from Felicity's Father makes him rethink the whole situation and their life together.
I really felt for Jim, it was quite refreshing to see this from the male perspective. I really struggled to like Felicity and couldn't understand how her Mother could influence her so much. If she loved Jim as much as claims, why would she just walk away, especially when they had been together for so long, I just found her very naive to say what an astute business woman she was.
I did enjoy reading the book, and would definitely read something by the author in the future. This one just wasn't my favourite.
Jim MacDuff is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, after the love of his life Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart decided she didn't love him anymore and wanted more from life. With constant pursuasion from her mother who constantly tells Felicity, Jim is not good enough for her and she deserves so much more. She starts to believe it. All Jim has ever wanted was Flick and he thought he had the perfect life, until he had to start again. Then a letter from Felicity's Father makes him rethink the whole situation and their life together.
I really felt for Jim, it was quite refreshing to see this from the male perspective. I really struggled to like Felicity and couldn't understand how her Mother could influence her so much. If she loved Jim as much as claims, why would she just walk away, especially when they had been together for so long, I just found her very naive to say what an astute business woman she was.
I did enjoy reading the book, and would definitely read something by the author in the future. This one just wasn't my favourite.
October 12, 2021
It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
However, Flick soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my copy of this book publishing 21st October .
This was an emotional uplifting read with a really good storyline. I really enjoyed Jim's character. The story was well written throughout and I loved the setting of this book., I just wanted to live at Sunset Cottage.
I highly recommend this book and will be checking out the rest of this authors books.
5 stars
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
However, Flick soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for my copy of this book publishing 21st October .
This was an emotional uplifting read with a really good storyline. I really enjoyed Jim's character. The story was well written throughout and I loved the setting of this book., I just wanted to live at Sunset Cottage.
I highly recommend this book and will be checking out the rest of this authors books.
5 stars
October 13, 2021
What I really loved about this book is that the story is not your usual rom-com.
And to underline how much it isn't, let just say that it starts right off from Jim and Flick's END of marriage. From this moment, it goes back and forward in time and we discover more about their story, how they met and how they came to ending their marriage.
I found it a very modern way to analize a relationship, extremely real and relatable.
Definetely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And to underline how much it isn't, let just say that it starts right off from Jim and Flick's END of marriage. From this moment, it goes back and forward in time and we discover more about their story, how they met and how they came to ending their marriage.
I found it a very modern way to analize a relationship, extremely real and relatable.
Definetely recommended!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 4, 2014
I Can't Get Enough
I first heard about Lisa J Hobman on a post on Facebook when a fan was promoting her newest book Bridge of Hope. I loved how it sounded so I started following her to know when it would be released. While waiting she suggested I read Bridge Over the Atlantic, so I got it right away. I was so very happy I did, I had found another author I loved her works. Bridge of Hope did not disappoint me either. So today I finally decided to read Through the Glass, and once again not disappointed at all, actually loving her work even more.
Through the Glass is about a love found, lost and then found again. Immediately I loved Jim, not as crazy about Felicity, she did throw away a wonderful man. But sometimes we have to lose something to totally appreciate it. Jim and Felicity's story is very heartwarming and heartbreaking, and so well told.
I am definitely reading The Girl Before Eve, I am sure I am going to love it. Lisa has a refreshing way of telling a story, that makes it different from other authors.
I first heard about Lisa J Hobman on a post on Facebook when a fan was promoting her newest book Bridge of Hope. I loved how it sounded so I started following her to know when it would be released. While waiting she suggested I read Bridge Over the Atlantic, so I got it right away. I was so very happy I did, I had found another author I loved her works. Bridge of Hope did not disappoint me either. So today I finally decided to read Through the Glass, and once again not disappointed at all, actually loving her work even more.
Through the Glass is about a love found, lost and then found again. Immediately I loved Jim, not as crazy about Felicity, she did throw away a wonderful man. But sometimes we have to lose something to totally appreciate it. Jim and Felicity's story is very heartwarming and heartbreaking, and so well told.
I am definitely reading The Girl Before Eve, I am sure I am going to love it. Lisa has a refreshing way of telling a story, that makes it different from other authors.
October 21, 2021
Jim and Flick meet at Oxford Uni, fall in love, and plan to live happily ever after.
Enter the interfering mother-in-law who thinks Jim is not good enough for her Felicity (Flick).
Jim moves to Scotland to start over as a single man after ambitious Flick has left him. He runs a coffee shop as well as the local campground - meanwhile Flick is going great guns in the art world in London.
Tragedy strikes and some characters have to re-evaluate their lives.
All throughout you are left feeling for one side or the other and you just have to keep turning the pages to follow all the twists and turns. Even though I picked up on a couple of the mysteries before they were revealed I enjoyed this quick read.
This was originally published in 2013 as Through the Glass.
Enter the interfering mother-in-law who thinks Jim is not good enough for her Felicity (Flick).
Jim moves to Scotland to start over as a single man after ambitious Flick has left him. He runs a coffee shop as well as the local campground - meanwhile Flick is going great guns in the art world in London.
Tragedy strikes and some characters have to re-evaluate their lives.
All throughout you are left feeling for one side or the other and you just have to keep turning the pages to follow all the twists and turns. Even though I picked up on a couple of the mysteries before they were revealed I enjoyed this quick read.
This was originally published in 2013 as Through the Glass.
October 21, 2021
It’s really unusual to come across a book that begins as a marriage ends – and in a particularly cruel way that builds total sympathy for husband Jim, and a really intense dislike for his wife Felicity. But as we follow the heartbroken Jim into his new life in the Scottish Highlands, the story revisits their lives from the point they met – a wonderful and passionate love affair that begins in their time at Oxford, when she’s a shy and blushing artist and he’s an out-of-place scholarship student. The romance between them is entirely beautiful – intense and believable – and many of their more tender moments really make your heart ache at the sheer perfection of their new relationship.
But they slowly begin to grow apart – he’s content to coast through life, wanting to be a writer, enjoying working in a friend’s bookshop, while Felicity’s life takes a quite different path as a career-driven high flying art dealer, her own artistic ambitions forgotten. Their love for each other just isn’t enough, however much Jim is quietly happy to support her – and that has a lot to do with her interfering mother, who never thought he was quite good enough.
Back in the present day, heartbroken Jim is making a new life for himself at Sunset Cottage – writing a book about their love affair, making new friends in the close community of Shieldaig, walking his dog in the surrounding countryside (the descriptions are quite beautiful), and running a small coffee shop that expands to become the village store. But as the snow falls, he has an unexpected visitor… and the story takes a bit of a turn, not just the second chance love story I’d rather expected, but an edge of the seat drama that brings changes to everyone involved.
The characters in this book are excellent. I really loved Jim, the author particularly takes you right inside his thoughts and feelings, and I so wanted him to be able to find happiness: Felicity too became a character I grew to like, although it remained difficult to understand how she could have changed so completely and been so influenced by others. The main supporting characters are particularly strong – especially bookshop owner Charles and Felicity’s lovely father Edgar – and their relationships really well drawn. And the book has an excellent sense of place – first Oxford and Hackney, then the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and the action later moves to Chicago.
The more dramatic story does rather come from left field – I’ll admit that the story of the couple’s relationship might just have been enough for me – but it certainly made the pages turn rather faster and the hoped-for happy ending considerably more uncertain, the tension and emotion particularly well-handled. And it’s the emotional content that I especially enjoyed about this book – I really loved the early days of their relationship and, by the end, felt entirely invested in the possibility of future happiness for both Jim and Felicity.
I really do like the author’s writing – her story-telling and her emotional touch – and this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed, even if it did take a direction I really wasn’t expecting. A lovely read, and definitely recommended by me.
But they slowly begin to grow apart – he’s content to coast through life, wanting to be a writer, enjoying working in a friend’s bookshop, while Felicity’s life takes a quite different path as a career-driven high flying art dealer, her own artistic ambitions forgotten. Their love for each other just isn’t enough, however much Jim is quietly happy to support her – and that has a lot to do with her interfering mother, who never thought he was quite good enough.
Back in the present day, heartbroken Jim is making a new life for himself at Sunset Cottage – writing a book about their love affair, making new friends in the close community of Shieldaig, walking his dog in the surrounding countryside (the descriptions are quite beautiful), and running a small coffee shop that expands to become the village store. But as the snow falls, he has an unexpected visitor… and the story takes a bit of a turn, not just the second chance love story I’d rather expected, but an edge of the seat drama that brings changes to everyone involved.
The characters in this book are excellent. I really loved Jim, the author particularly takes you right inside his thoughts and feelings, and I so wanted him to be able to find happiness: Felicity too became a character I grew to like, although it remained difficult to understand how she could have changed so completely and been so influenced by others. The main supporting characters are particularly strong – especially bookshop owner Charles and Felicity’s lovely father Edgar – and their relationships really well drawn. And the book has an excellent sense of place – first Oxford and Hackney, then the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and the action later moves to Chicago.
The more dramatic story does rather come from left field – I’ll admit that the story of the couple’s relationship might just have been enough for me – but it certainly made the pages turn rather faster and the hoped-for happy ending considerably more uncertain, the tension and emotion particularly well-handled. And it’s the emotional content that I especially enjoyed about this book – I really loved the early days of their relationship and, by the end, felt entirely invested in the possibility of future happiness for both Jim and Felicity.
I really do like the author’s writing – her story-telling and her emotional touch – and this was a book I thoroughly enjoyed, even if it did take a direction I really wasn’t expecting. A lovely read, and definitely recommended by me.
May 31, 2014
4.5 stars!
Through the Glass has so many things going for it!
- Jim
- Beautiful descriptions of Scottish scenery
- Jasper the dog
- The name "Flick MacDuff"
- Did I already say Jim? :)
I like how the author brings this story full circle. The following conflicts/themes come up frequently, especially near the beginning: Felicity rejecting the nickname ("Flick") Jim gave her at Oxford; the act of looking through windows/glass (at first literally -- then later in a different sense); Felicity's (and her mother's) insistence that she keep her maiden name after the marriage. The author addresses all these again near the conclusion and resolves them in a satisfactory way. I can't really explain how here because of spoilers, but as a writer myself, I appreciate how this gives the narrative a nice, balanced structure and feel.
The male protagonist Jim is great. Almost too good to be true, but he gets frustrated and impatient, so that grounds him. I also appreciate Flick. She is clearly struggling with her ambition and could have really come off as a shrew, but I think the author gets her just right. I understood her, even though I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. The characters and their reactions are complex -- there's no black and white here.
I'm also glad that the author included some art-world intrigue into the plot. The story would have been great as just a contemporary romance dealing with Jim and Flick's relationship, but the complications in NYC really added a nice (if scary) twist.
Nice job. Enjoying Ms. Hobman's novels!
*Disclaimer - I was provided a final copy of the manuscript for an honest review.*
Through the Glass has so many things going for it!
- Jim
- Beautiful descriptions of Scottish scenery
- Jasper the dog
- The name "Flick MacDuff"
- Did I already say Jim? :)
I like how the author brings this story full circle. The following conflicts/themes come up frequently, especially near the beginning: Felicity rejecting the nickname ("Flick") Jim gave her at Oxford; the act of looking through windows/glass (at first literally -- then later in a different sense); Felicity's (and her mother's) insistence that she keep her maiden name after the marriage. The author addresses all these again near the conclusion and resolves them in a satisfactory way. I can't really explain how here because of spoilers, but as a writer myself, I appreciate how this gives the narrative a nice, balanced structure and feel.
The male protagonist Jim is great. Almost too good to be true, but he gets frustrated and impatient, so that grounds him. I also appreciate Flick. She is clearly struggling with her ambition and could have really come off as a shrew, but I think the author gets her just right. I understood her, even though I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. The characters and their reactions are complex -- there's no black and white here.
I'm also glad that the author included some art-world intrigue into the plot. The story would have been great as just a contemporary romance dealing with Jim and Flick's relationship, but the complications in NYC really added a nice (if scary) twist.
Nice job. Enjoying Ms. Hobman's novels!
*Disclaimer - I was provided a final copy of the manuscript for an honest review.*
September 1, 2021
The story
Felicity and Jim meet as students that have just started at Oxford. Felicity is shy but is following in her father’s footsteps studying there. Jim is Scottish and doesn’t come from a well-off family like Felicity does. They are drawn to each other immediately and stay together throughout their studies, and get married. But Felicity’s mother constantly puts doubts into her thoughts that Jim is not ambitious enough and isn’t building a prominent career that Felicity is. At the start of the story, Felicity asks for a divorce and leaves Jim. The story flashes back to the anatomy of their marriage and how things move forward.
My thoughts
While I can appreciate that someone else’s relationship will always be more exciting for them, a lot about this story felt tiring to experience, with a slow pace and much repetition. The two parties never really getting over each other but still couldn’t communicate this to this person that they supposedly loved so much. The highlight came when there was some drama and suspense later in the story.
I read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley.
Felicity and Jim meet as students that have just started at Oxford. Felicity is shy but is following in her father’s footsteps studying there. Jim is Scottish and doesn’t come from a well-off family like Felicity does. They are drawn to each other immediately and stay together throughout their studies, and get married. But Felicity’s mother constantly puts doubts into her thoughts that Jim is not ambitious enough and isn’t building a prominent career that Felicity is. At the start of the story, Felicity asks for a divorce and leaves Jim. The story flashes back to the anatomy of their marriage and how things move forward.
My thoughts
While I can appreciate that someone else’s relationship will always be more exciting for them, a lot about this story felt tiring to experience, with a slow pace and much repetition. The two parties never really getting over each other but still couldn’t communicate this to this person that they supposedly loved so much. The highlight came when there was some drama and suspense later in the story.
I read an eARC copy courtesy of Netgalley.
October 23, 2021
I absolutely loved this story and really likes that it has been told from Jim's perspective as well as Felicity's as majority of stories are written from the females perspective and focuses on their heartbreak.
Set initially in London we follow Jim as he uproots his life and heads back to Scotland following the breakdown of his marriage. The fact that this story was based around the anguish of Jim made me love it even more as it is so unusual to read a story that empathises with the husband and builds up a dislike of the wife and her appalling behaviour.
I love a true love story and this focuses on the love that still exists between Jim and Felicity even as the years continue to pass and they both move on with their lives. This was my first book by this author and I truly loved it and will definitely be reading more.
Set initially in London we follow Jim as he uproots his life and heads back to Scotland following the breakdown of his marriage. The fact that this story was based around the anguish of Jim made me love it even more as it is so unusual to read a story that empathises with the husband and builds up a dislike of the wife and her appalling behaviour.
I love a true love story and this focuses on the love that still exists between Jim and Felicity even as the years continue to pass and they both move on with their lives. This was my first book by this author and I truly loved it and will definitely be reading more.
September 12, 2021
The book started as many romance novels do with a couple splitting up. I thought it would then centre on one of the couple starting their life over and meeting somebody new. This was not the case. The plot seemed to change randomly and there was no smooth transition from one part to the next. The added mystery in the centre seemed like an afterthought. I didn’t care for the female lead, she seemed selfish and hard to like. The whole book seemed like a mashup of ideas and it left me not caring what happened. Characters were randomly introduced with no backstory, some being no part of the plot while others were major players but seemed like last minute additions. I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC.
October 4, 2013
Lisa Hobman has done it again. I fell in love with her first book Bridge over the Atlantic and she has out done herself with this one. You can feel the love that Flick and Jim share and I would recommend this book to all my friends. Just make sure that you have a box or two of tissue with you. Well done 5 Prince Publishing, you and the author knocked it out of the park again.
March 14, 2014
This was a lovely book about the relationship between Jim and Flick who met during Freshers week at University. They were so in love- but Flick had aspirations to become a high flying exec that she forgot why she'd fallen in love with Jim and left to pursue her dreams.
She loved to paint when she was young and you can almost imagine the paintings that are described.
She loved to paint when she was young and you can almost imagine the paintings that are described.
August 30, 2021
Overall I enjoyed this book. But I struggled with how naive Flick was and how forgiving Jim was. I get the whole point is love conquers all. But they were married a long time for her to still blindly ditch Jim because her mom doesn't like him. Still I did enjoy the story as a whole.
Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2014
Loved this 2nd book by Lisa J Hobman. It was sexy, heart warming, sad, funny. Lisa always takes you on a journey and describes the locations of her characters well and makes you wish you were there.
November 7, 2021
I love Jim .....
March 31, 2017
I was given a copy of the book to provide a voluntary review at my own will.
Lisa has a wonderful writing style and this book is just a continuation of her style. This is a story of love, loss, betrayal, suspense and finding your soulmate. Through the Glass takes you on a journey of how two people reconnect after years apart and a messy break up. You experience sorrow, sadness, joy, anticipation and love whilst you read the book and that is why I fell in love with the book so fast. The story is told through two perspectives, both Flick and Jim's, but it seems to focus more on Jim. The time jumping takes a little to get used to, but once you have, the book flows beautifully and the story becomes what you need to complete. I liked the suspense element of the book, as it allowed you to see how dark the art world can get when people become desperate. The other characters in the book were wonderful, especially Flick's father and Jim's dog, and I'd love to read another book to see how Flick and Jim are doing.
Jim, or James, is a Scottish man who went back to the place which made him happiest after his life shattered. London wasn't his scene but the beautiful Highland village he moves to is more his style. I loved how Jim was an intelligent man who didn't want to fit in with other people's perceptions of how his life should be. He is a free spirit who would just like to love his soulmate and live a simple life whilst his soulmate enjoys herself and is free. He is a warm-hearted man who reads and can write, is friendly with everyone and is a gorgeous hunk! I took to him immediately and wanted to cuddle him when his world comes crashing down around him.
Flick, or Felicity, is a lady who is driven to achieve the best. Her drive is wonderful but then at the same time, it's damaging her her life and herself. During her university career, she is a free spirit who is free from her suffocating life of being perfect. But what happens when those claws of perfection and reaching for the highest achievements start to ruin the one good thing in your life? You leave them and try to move on. A tragedy makes Flick re-evaluate all she knows after a secret of her mother's comes to light. Flick is a passionate lady who is loyal to her family and yet not herself. The love she has for her family is immense and yet she doesn't love or respect herself enough.
Flick and Jim together though! Wow. They are truly meant for one another, but can a person who has been looking through the glass, really change and start living the life she was meant to have? A 5* read and I'd recommend the book to any person who loves a good romance or a second chance story.
Lisa has a wonderful writing style and this book is just a continuation of her style. This is a story of love, loss, betrayal, suspense and finding your soulmate. Through the Glass takes you on a journey of how two people reconnect after years apart and a messy break up. You experience sorrow, sadness, joy, anticipation and love whilst you read the book and that is why I fell in love with the book so fast. The story is told through two perspectives, both Flick and Jim's, but it seems to focus more on Jim. The time jumping takes a little to get used to, but once you have, the book flows beautifully and the story becomes what you need to complete. I liked the suspense element of the book, as it allowed you to see how dark the art world can get when people become desperate. The other characters in the book were wonderful, especially Flick's father and Jim's dog, and I'd love to read another book to see how Flick and Jim are doing.
Jim, or James, is a Scottish man who went back to the place which made him happiest after his life shattered. London wasn't his scene but the beautiful Highland village he moves to is more his style. I loved how Jim was an intelligent man who didn't want to fit in with other people's perceptions of how his life should be. He is a free spirit who would just like to love his soulmate and live a simple life whilst his soulmate enjoys herself and is free. He is a warm-hearted man who reads and can write, is friendly with everyone and is a gorgeous hunk! I took to him immediately and wanted to cuddle him when his world comes crashing down around him.
Flick, or Felicity, is a lady who is driven to achieve the best. Her drive is wonderful but then at the same time, it's damaging her her life and herself. During her university career, she is a free spirit who is free from her suffocating life of being perfect. But what happens when those claws of perfection and reaching for the highest achievements start to ruin the one good thing in your life? You leave them and try to move on. A tragedy makes Flick re-evaluate all she knows after a secret of her mother's comes to light. Flick is a passionate lady who is loyal to her family and yet not herself. The love she has for her family is immense and yet she doesn't love or respect herself enough.
Flick and Jim together though! Wow. They are truly meant for one another, but can a person who has been looking through the glass, really change and start living the life she was meant to have? A 5* read and I'd recommend the book to any person who loves a good romance or a second chance story.
October 28, 2021
The Blurb :
It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
Finally succumbing to maternal pressure, Flick falls into the high-flying career her mother believed she was destined for.
However, she soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Meanwhile, Jim is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, when an unexpected visitor brings painful news. A letter from beyond the grave leads him to do something he never imagined and takes him on a journey he didn’t anticipate.
Can either of them heal and truly move on?
My Thoughts :
We meet married couple Felicity Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff. Having met as students at Oxford University, Flick and Jim as we know them hit it off from the start. They have many years of happiness and both thought they would be forever that is until, Flick’s mum Penelope gets her own way and draws Flick away from Jim telling her she can do so much better for herself than living the boring life she leads with Jim. Penelope finally gets her wish and the couple go their separate ways, Jim moving back to Scotland with their dog Jasper and Flick flying high in her career path.
With a few twists and turns are they destined for different things or can they find their way back together!?..
What I really enjoyed with this story is how we jumped right into the marriage break up from the start of the first page. This set the stone for what was to come and I was eager to get started to see what lead the couple up to this point.
Lisa Hobman puts us right in the middle of the action and really brings the characters to life with the background of how they met and what had gone wrong. A story filled with drama, love, loss and family.
I am looking forward to the release of her next book.
It was love at first sight when talented art student Felicity “Flick” Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff’s worlds collided at Oxford University.
However, after years of blissful marriage, everything crashes down when their marriage comes to a painful and abrupt end, thanks to Flick’s interfering mother Penelope.
Finally succumbing to maternal pressure, Flick falls into the high-flying career her mother believed she was destined for.
However, she soon realises life without Jim isn’t all she’d hoped, and that some decisions, once made, cannot be undone.
Meanwhile, Jim is settling back into life as a single man in the beautiful Highland village of Shieldaig, when an unexpected visitor brings painful news. A letter from beyond the grave leads him to do something he never imagined and takes him on a journey he didn’t anticipate.
Can either of them heal and truly move on?
My Thoughts :
We meet married couple Felicity Johnston-Hart and Jim MacDuff. Having met as students at Oxford University, Flick and Jim as we know them hit it off from the start. They have many years of happiness and both thought they would be forever that is until, Flick’s mum Penelope gets her own way and draws Flick away from Jim telling her she can do so much better for herself than living the boring life she leads with Jim. Penelope finally gets her wish and the couple go their separate ways, Jim moving back to Scotland with their dog Jasper and Flick flying high in her career path.
With a few twists and turns are they destined for different things or can they find their way back together!?..
What I really enjoyed with this story is how we jumped right into the marriage break up from the start of the first page. This set the stone for what was to come and I was eager to get started to see what lead the couple up to this point.
Lisa Hobman puts us right in the middle of the action and really brings the characters to life with the background of how they met and what had gone wrong. A story filled with drama, love, loss and family.
I am looking forward to the release of her next book.
October 14, 2021
I received a digital ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I just loved this book. Not just the story, but the way it was put together. Historical conversations were presented as ‘flashbacks’ and not just as memories. I found myself almost immediately invested in this love story, despite the fact that it had come to an end.
Jim and Flick, when viewed historically, are the perfect match and their relationship is enviable. However, there would be no story without the introduction of heartache. The result of a meddlesome mother leaves them both devastated and struggling to repair their damaged lives. It was hard, for me, to understand how Flick could have been so easily swayed by her mother’s influence, but it’s part of the story and I was able to accept it.
As usual, we head to the Scottish Highlands to see how the story evolves. Jim returns to the beautiful village of his childhood holidays and starts to slowly heal. Of course, the story can’t end there, and devastating news starts to unravel the progress that they have both made on the road to recovery. The story picks up the pace and heads to a thrilling conclusion on all accounts.
I enjoyed this story, in particular, I loved Jim and his unwavering loyalty to his relationship. His relationships with his former employer and his ex-father-in-law speak volumes about his character and I found it frustrating that he had to endure so much pain because of an interfering mother.
I was awake until the wee small hours, again, reading this story because I simply had to know what would happen next. This book took me from London to Scotland and then to Chicago. It was a wonderful escape which I would highly recommend.
I just loved this book. Not just the story, but the way it was put together. Historical conversations were presented as ‘flashbacks’ and not just as memories. I found myself almost immediately invested in this love story, despite the fact that it had come to an end.
Jim and Flick, when viewed historically, are the perfect match and their relationship is enviable. However, there would be no story without the introduction of heartache. The result of a meddlesome mother leaves them both devastated and struggling to repair their damaged lives. It was hard, for me, to understand how Flick could have been so easily swayed by her mother’s influence, but it’s part of the story and I was able to accept it.
As usual, we head to the Scottish Highlands to see how the story evolves. Jim returns to the beautiful village of his childhood holidays and starts to slowly heal. Of course, the story can’t end there, and devastating news starts to unravel the progress that they have both made on the road to recovery. The story picks up the pace and heads to a thrilling conclusion on all accounts.
I enjoyed this story, in particular, I loved Jim and his unwavering loyalty to his relationship. His relationships with his former employer and his ex-father-in-law speak volumes about his character and I found it frustrating that he had to endure so much pain because of an interfering mother.
I was awake until the wee small hours, again, reading this story because I simply had to know what would happen next. This book took me from London to Scotland and then to Chicago. It was a wonderful escape which I would highly recommend.
September 18, 2013
I was given this book by the Author, Lisa J. Hobman, for an honest review and so I shall deliver.
The Review:
The book starts out with Felicity(Flick) and Jim breaking up. Jim has always called her Flick as a nickname and a term of endearment. Suddenly FELICITY is too good for that name, Jim and their marriage. She used to paint things that she would see through the glass(window) when they would be traveling somewhere. But she never felt she was good enough, so she strived to be the best at buying and selling art. She succeeded.
Jim is more laid back. He has everything he needs as long as he has Felicity by his side. He graduated with first class honors from Oxford University, but he's content to sit in a bookstore all day selling books. Felicity's mother Penelope is always telling Felicity she can do better than Jim, that he's lazy, has no potential, etc. Instead of following her heart and staying with her soul mate. Felicity follows her mother's advice and decides to upgrade from Jim. The break up scene is heartbreaking because Jim loves her more than life itself. He would do anything for her and she knows it. He was begging and pleading for her not to leave him and she didn't care.
“We were both on the same page. I don’t understand how we changed.”
“We didn’t change. I did. Like I said, I grew up.” She shook her head. “I know that you haven’t changed.” She snorted. “Sorry, Jim but it’s true. In all these years you’ve kept the same hairstyle, the same clothing, and the same laid back attitude. You still work in the same second hand bookstore, you still drive that ancient Land Rover, and you still take that bloody dog everywhere you go! You’re not a student anymore, James. Maybe I want more, huh? Maybe I want someone who makes an effort!” Her voice gained an octave as her emotions began to get the better of her.
Jim widened his eyes in horror. “Whoa! Now just hang on there, lassie!” He held up his hands and his stomach knotted at her stabbing words as they sliced his heart.
He stepped toward her. “You can’t say that I don’t make an effort. Just because I’m in no way materialistic doesn’t mean I don’t care. I love you. I always have. You are my world! I don’t need things, Felicity. I need you!” His heart ached as it bombarded the inside of his chest. “I've done everything in my power to make you happy.
As they're fighting, anger becomes passion and they end up making love. The worst part!!???? THIS!
He maneuvered to lay by her side and held her to him. “We’ll work this out. You and me, Flick. We can get through anything. It’s always been you and me.” He whispered as he stroked her cheek and kissed her again, deeply, passionately.
She pushed him away, releasing herself from his arms, touching her swollen lips where his had just been. She stood, adjusted her skirt and blouse, and looked down where he still lay.
“I’m so sorry, Jim… Nothing has changed. I’m still leaving.” Her wavering voice broke as she whispered the stabbing words that he did not want to hear.
He pulled his brow into a frown and sat upright. “What?
I…I don’t understand.” He rose to his feet adjusting his clothing. So many emotions battled and stirred inside of him. So many questions. He shook his head and asked again, his heart pounding so hard he thought it would burst from his chest. “What do you mean nothing’s changed?” He pointed to the now crumpled bed. “We…we just made love. Flick…I…I don’t understand. Why would you do that if nothing had changed? It has to have meant something?”
With regret visible on her face and a look of deep, deep sadness in her eyes, she touched his face, tears leaving trails down her own cheeks. “Oh James…it was just…such a beautiful way for us to end things…it was goodbye.” Gently, she stroked his cheek and left.
Jim stood for a moment, stunned, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. An uncomfortable silence fell over the house and he was momentarily paralysed as if time had stood still. Hurt and angry, he wondered how the hell she could be so damn cruel.
What a Witch! She knew how broken up he was over losing her and she does this, giving him false hope and tells him it's a way to say goodbye? Seriously!! Wave your flippin' hand and leave!! It's less cruel!!!
As you read the book, you will follow Jim and on occasion Felicity, as they remember things prior to the break up. Lisa J. Hobman, takes great care in keeping us on the same track so we don't get lost. She makes note of those moments and how long before the break up and then when we're in the present, how long after the break up.
We also follow along with each of them, to see how the break up is affecting them and their lives. Does she regret what she did? Does Jim find someone who really deserves him? Do they get back together? Or are there forces dooming them to stay apart? These questions can only be answered by reading this book and I highly recommend it!!
I truly enjoyed this story. Just when I thought the book was wrapping up, something tragic happens and we go on another emotional roller coaster. I really liked Jim. He was a character I could relate to and love.
Felicity, I just couldn't get into friend mode with her and that in itself shows the extreme talent the author has!! I've said it before and I'll say it again, like them or love them, if a writer has the talent to evoke those emotions about one of their characters, then that is a sign of an amazing author! Lisa J. Hobman did just that!
I can't wait to read other books by her. She has a way of bringing you into her stories and you become her characters. You feel their pain and their love. And THAT is what makes an awesome book and an exceptional author!
~Robin(bookreadsandreviews.com)
November 24, 2021
A relationship is usually doomed when one person wants something more from the union. Flick''s interfering mother constantly tells her daughter that she can do better than husband Jim.. While Jim tries to make a new life for himself in Scotland, Flick is very successful in the art world, but doesn't immediately realize what her success has cost. There are a few twists and turns, making this an entertaining read. .
September 15, 2024
I loved reading this, it’s a cute little romance, with a plot twist and about what’s important in life. And of course, Scotland and dogs! I’ve read almost all the books of this author, mostly via listening to the audio books during my dog walks. I swear she will be the reason I move to Scotland!
Recommend this one too.
Recommend this one too.
September 15, 2021
Lisa writes the most adorable male characters. Jim is just so gorgeous and his love for Flick is complete.
Instantly attracted to each other as students at Oxford, they seem the perfect couple until Flick’s interfering mother sticks her oar in and starts sowing seeds of doubt into Flicks mind about her relationship choice.
You really feel the heartbreak Jim suffers at the start of the story, it’s raw and all consuming. However his love for Flick is such that he ultimately lets her go so she will be happy.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to their student days and their first moments as a loved up couple, it gave you an insight to their love before the doubts and hectic lifestyle took over.
Some very tender moments, the wonderful relationship Jim had with his father in law really touched my heart. Flick wasn’t as likeable at first, her cold treatment at the start created an image of someone who only thought of themselves. However as the story progresses you begin to understand her actions and her regret is honest and open.
It’s a lovely book that captured my attention and had me reading avidly.
It’s always such a pleasure reading Lisa’s gorgeous books ❤️
Instantly attracted to each other as students at Oxford, they seem the perfect couple until Flick’s interfering mother sticks her oar in and starts sowing seeds of doubt into Flicks mind about her relationship choice.
You really feel the heartbreak Jim suffers at the start of the story, it’s raw and all consuming. However his love for Flick is such that he ultimately lets her go so she will be happy.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to their student days and their first moments as a loved up couple, it gave you an insight to their love before the doubts and hectic lifestyle took over.
Some very tender moments, the wonderful relationship Jim had with his father in law really touched my heart. Flick wasn’t as likeable at first, her cold treatment at the start created an image of someone who only thought of themselves. However as the story progresses you begin to understand her actions and her regret is honest and open.
It’s a lovely book that captured my attention and had me reading avidly.
It’s always such a pleasure reading Lisa’s gorgeous books ❤️
September 10, 2013
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
Through the glass is another stellar novel. Flick and Jim have after years of love and marriage, become Felicity and James. Flick and Jim have a soul mate sort of love. As time grows and Flicks mother spreads her views of the life her daughter needs, the love seems to disappear. Flick is an artist, but becomes a art dealer instead. This novel was heartbreakingly beautiful. Two people who are so blind to signs and emotions, nearly completely muck up everything. Flicks father loves Jim as a son, he sadly passes away, but his will states Jim's inherited treasure must be hand delievered by Flick in Scotland. Jim isn't very happy she's at his home and even less so when she gets snowed in. He`s a bit of a prick to her only as protection from being hurt by her again. She finally leaves and its on terrible terms. He wants to go after her and she's hoping he would. He doesn't and she moves away. Then he finds a letter stating she still loved him and always had, he has to come up with a grand idea to woo her back. He saved all the paintings she did over the years and sets up an exhibition for her. She is supposed to discover an artist and its hidden that she's the artist. Then tragedy strikes and everyone is at a loss, then after dealing with such tragedy, they get wonderful news well sorta. She's alive but someone tried to kill her. Jim flies to New York to be by her side. They have a rough few weeks, but after discussions finally go home. He finally gets her to see the exhibition for this Flick Macduff, she sees all her works and talent hanging on display, like she was really seeing it for the first time that she is an amazing artist. Later they go for a walk and she proposes to Jim who immediately answers yes. I really enjoyed Through The Glass, it is the second book by Lisa Hobman and she Has such amazing talent. I found I was pulled into her stories and felt like I was right there in them. I'm looking forward to more of her wonderful novels.
Through the glass is another stellar novel. Flick and Jim have after years of love and marriage, become Felicity and James. Flick and Jim have a soul mate sort of love. As time grows and Flicks mother spreads her views of the life her daughter needs, the love seems to disappear. Flick is an artist, but becomes a art dealer instead. This novel was heartbreakingly beautiful. Two people who are so blind to signs and emotions, nearly completely muck up everything. Flicks father loves Jim as a son, he sadly passes away, but his will states Jim's inherited treasure must be hand delievered by Flick in Scotland. Jim isn't very happy she's at his home and even less so when she gets snowed in. He`s a bit of a prick to her only as protection from being hurt by her again. She finally leaves and its on terrible terms. He wants to go after her and she's hoping he would. He doesn't and she moves away. Then he finds a letter stating she still loved him and always had, he has to come up with a grand idea to woo her back. He saved all the paintings she did over the years and sets up an exhibition for her. She is supposed to discover an artist and its hidden that she's the artist. Then tragedy strikes and everyone is at a loss, then after dealing with such tragedy, they get wonderful news well sorta. She's alive but someone tried to kill her. Jim flies to New York to be by her side. They have a rough few weeks, but after discussions finally go home. He finally gets her to see the exhibition for this Flick Macduff, she sees all her works and talent hanging on display, like she was really seeing it for the first time that she is an amazing artist. Later they go for a walk and she proposes to Jim who immediately answers yes. I really enjoyed Through The Glass, it is the second book by Lisa Hobman and she Has such amazing talent. I found I was pulled into her stories and felt like I was right there in them. I'm looking forward to more of her wonderful novels.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2013
**Please note: I received an ecopy of the book from the author, in exchange for an honest review**
Through The Glass is Hobman’s “sophomore” novel. I was fortunate to be able to read and review Lisa’s debut novel, and was pleased to receive the invitation for this new publication. Her writing is warm and captivating….it is emotional and heartfelt….it will make you laugh and cry….both books I have read have made me bring out the tissue box…..and both held surprises….like little buried treasures. Lisa does a great job of painting a story for her readers. Her colors are vivid and almost multi-dimensional, pulling you into a relatable storyline that sometimes throws you for a twist. It’s warm, loving, happily-ever-after romance that just makes you want to be in love.
I have to admit that I was a little concerned when I first began this book. The style and formatting is slightly different that her debut. My mind flips easily with changing POVs, but does not always flop in and out of time too well. Through The Glass travels back and forth in time, from present day to the past. Experience tells me that sometimes my mind does not want to travel like that. On top of that, the book takes place in the UK and I knew there might be slang/phrases that I might struggle with. But the author made it easy for me. The storyline revolved around the breakup……..present time or after breakup and before the breakup. When we traveled back into the past, it was like reading a diary….the whole book was like that for me actually....like I am reading the love story of a couple I have known for years…reading how they fall in love, the struggles that tear them apart and their separate journey’s to find happiness again…wondering if true love can be found twice? Get the book, take the journey and find out.
Through The Glass is Hobman’s “sophomore” novel. I was fortunate to be able to read and review Lisa’s debut novel, and was pleased to receive the invitation for this new publication. Her writing is warm and captivating….it is emotional and heartfelt….it will make you laugh and cry….both books I have read have made me bring out the tissue box…..and both held surprises….like little buried treasures. Lisa does a great job of painting a story for her readers. Her colors are vivid and almost multi-dimensional, pulling you into a relatable storyline that sometimes throws you for a twist. It’s warm, loving, happily-ever-after romance that just makes you want to be in love.
I have to admit that I was a little concerned when I first began this book. The style and formatting is slightly different that her debut. My mind flips easily with changing POVs, but does not always flop in and out of time too well. Through The Glass travels back and forth in time, from present day to the past. Experience tells me that sometimes my mind does not want to travel like that. On top of that, the book takes place in the UK and I knew there might be slang/phrases that I might struggle with. But the author made it easy for me. The storyline revolved around the breakup……..present time or after breakup and before the breakup. When we traveled back into the past, it was like reading a diary….the whole book was like that for me actually....like I am reading the love story of a couple I have known for years…reading how they fall in love, the struggles that tear them apart and their separate journey’s to find happiness again…wondering if true love can be found twice? Get the book, take the journey and find out.
December 31, 2015
This is the second book from this author, her first being Bridge Over The Atlantic which I loved. This one didn't disappoint either!
The book starts with an ending! The end of a relationship. It then jumps back and forward between present day and past, happier, times. This allows the reader to delve into the relationship between Jim and Felicity. We get a much deeper insight into how they met, fell in love, and fell out of love again. Well, at least that's what we are led to believe in the beginning.
Jim moves on with his life, moving to the Scottish Highlands. This is a theme which is also in the authors first book. The author herself moved to Scotland a few years ago from Yorkshire due to her love of the country, and this shines through in both of her books. As a Scot I totally understand her love of the area, its scenery and its people.
A sad event brings a visitor to Jim's door, and sets about a chain of events which leads him on a path he never dreamt he could walk down again. Feelings which both Jim and Felicity believed were long buried surface once again, but as we all know, things never go to plan.
What Jim ends up trying to do for Flick is something which will make the reader fall in love with him even more! But can he pull it off or does fate have other plans for these two? When something unexpected happens Jim has to pull himself together and face up to the fact that what he wants may not happen after all.
The author once again made me cry when reading this book, not just once but several times! So be prepared and have your hankies at the ready!
I cannot recommend this book, and indeed Bridge Over The Atlantic, highly enough. The author has done an amazing job yet again and has written something which will make you laugh, cry, happy and sad all at the same time!
The book starts with an ending! The end of a relationship. It then jumps back and forward between present day and past, happier, times. This allows the reader to delve into the relationship between Jim and Felicity. We get a much deeper insight into how they met, fell in love, and fell out of love again. Well, at least that's what we are led to believe in the beginning.
Jim moves on with his life, moving to the Scottish Highlands. This is a theme which is also in the authors first book. The author herself moved to Scotland a few years ago from Yorkshire due to her love of the country, and this shines through in both of her books. As a Scot I totally understand her love of the area, its scenery and its people.
A sad event brings a visitor to Jim's door, and sets about a chain of events which leads him on a path he never dreamt he could walk down again. Feelings which both Jim and Felicity believed were long buried surface once again, but as we all know, things never go to plan.
What Jim ends up trying to do for Flick is something which will make the reader fall in love with him even more! But can he pull it off or does fate have other plans for these two? When something unexpected happens Jim has to pull himself together and face up to the fact that what he wants may not happen after all.
The author once again made me cry when reading this book, not just once but several times! So be prepared and have your hankies at the ready!
I cannot recommend this book, and indeed Bridge Over The Atlantic, highly enough. The author has done an amazing job yet again and has written something which will make you laugh, cry, happy and sad all at the same time!
September 12, 2021
This was a really good and engaging read and my first book by this author and won’t be my last. The story took the reader on the journey of the two main characters felicity and Jim who met at university which is where their love began and blossomed through the ups and downs of the relationship and their lives and leads to them looking inside themselves to what they both thought they wanted in life wasn’t actually what they did want in reality and how they have dealt with the pain of not being good enough or thinking they Didnt love each other enough to be together and how certain events can change your situation and If love is meant to be it can be cemented forever.
August 30, 2013
Through the Glass is emotional, heart warming, funny and frustrating.
Flick and Jim's story is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. From the first chapter I was sucked in and I couldn't stop reading, I just had to know what happened.
Flick, She is frustrating and annoying to begin with. I wanted to reach into my kindle give her a shake and tell her to open her eyes. Penny, Flick's mother influences her life in more ways than one. Surely all you want is for your daughter to be happy right? A painter at heart but in her mind she needs the successful job, successful rich husband but at what cost? She then started to grow on me and i started to like her and wanted to know what was really going on deep down.
Jim, he is a loveable, kind, gorgeous and his Scots accent just adds to the appeal. He loves Flick more than anything and all he wants is for her to be happy. He's a simple guy doesn't need expensive things or a fancy job all he needs is Flick. You cant help but love him.
When you love someone do you break your own heart for them to be happy, even when you know it's not truly what they want from life or do you fight?
Love moves in mysterious way.
Through the Glass made me cry, laugh, angry and sit on the edge of my seat. You can picture all the places Lisa talks about, it's like you there in the book watching it all happen. Beautifully written and gripping from start to finish. Memorable and a must read.
Flick and Jim's story is a roller coaster ride from start to finish. From the first chapter I was sucked in and I couldn't stop reading, I just had to know what happened.
Flick, She is frustrating and annoying to begin with. I wanted to reach into my kindle give her a shake and tell her to open her eyes. Penny, Flick's mother influences her life in more ways than one. Surely all you want is for your daughter to be happy right? A painter at heart but in her mind she needs the successful job, successful rich husband but at what cost? She then started to grow on me and i started to like her and wanted to know what was really going on deep down.
Jim, he is a loveable, kind, gorgeous and his Scots accent just adds to the appeal. He loves Flick more than anything and all he wants is for her to be happy. He's a simple guy doesn't need expensive things or a fancy job all he needs is Flick. You cant help but love him.
When you love someone do you break your own heart for them to be happy, even when you know it's not truly what they want from life or do you fight?
Love moves in mysterious way.
Through the Glass made me cry, laugh, angry and sit on the edge of my seat. You can picture all the places Lisa talks about, it's like you there in the book watching it all happen. Beautifully written and gripping from start to finish. Memorable and a must read.
October 3, 2013
5 Prince Publishing put out a request for some people to review this book. After reading the synopsis I stated that I would be interested in reading and reviewing this book and I am so glad that I did and that I was selected. This book was amazing, I felt like I was reading the story and it was coming from Jim it was nice to read a book for a change where it was from the man. This book wasn't raunchy it was a genuine love story and as I mentioned in the title make sure you have tissues handy, I only had my bed sheet to wipe away my tears and let me tell you I shed more than a few tears.
The story line was original and wasn't like all the books that are coming out these days, it was a romantic book and I fell in love with Jim and Flick's story. The book was so well written I could see myself in the fields and could almost feel the snow falling. I have to stay that even the last line of the book made me cry.
If you are looking for a great story with love and romance then this book is one for you. Sit down by the wood fire with a coffee and read, oh and don't forget the tissues, I think they are a must (but maybe I am just a softy for a good love story). If you purchase this book trust me you would not be wasting your money, it is an investment and a great excuse to hug the one's you love just one more time not that we should ever need an excuse to hug or say I love you to the one's we love.
The story line was original and wasn't like all the books that are coming out these days, it was a romantic book and I fell in love with Jim and Flick's story. The book was so well written I could see myself in the fields and could almost feel the snow falling. I have to stay that even the last line of the book made me cry.
If you are looking for a great story with love and romance then this book is one for you. Sit down by the wood fire with a coffee and read, oh and don't forget the tissues, I think they are a must (but maybe I am just a softy for a good love story). If you purchase this book trust me you would not be wasting your money, it is an investment and a great excuse to hug the one's you love just one more time not that we should ever need an excuse to hug or say I love you to the one's we love.
January 5, 2014
Okay, so it has been a while since I read this book and I'm way behind on my reviews so I'll try and remember all the details lol.
The love story of Jim and Flick is bright burning and beautiful. It is a story that people can relate to--especially those that marry young before they really know who they are or what they want in life.
There is Jim, who holds on to himself and what he wants in life. He's a stalwart guy, solid as rock, the foundation of the relationship.
Then there is Flick. Her name almost says it all--she's flighty, creative, ever changing, yet still herself.
They are characters that you can resonate with as they work through selfish desires, their changing personalities, and their love for each other.
I don't want to give too much away. The story is touching, heart-warming, gives hope, and keeps you hooked from the beginning. As usual Lisa Hobman writes a fantastic, character driven story that really digs deep into the ups and downs of relationships.
I thought that occasionally the sex scenes were unnecessary and took away from the story but all in all a great read.
The love story of Jim and Flick is bright burning and beautiful. It is a story that people can relate to--especially those that marry young before they really know who they are or what they want in life.
There is Jim, who holds on to himself and what he wants in life. He's a stalwart guy, solid as rock, the foundation of the relationship.
Then there is Flick. Her name almost says it all--she's flighty, creative, ever changing, yet still herself.
They are characters that you can resonate with as they work through selfish desires, their changing personalities, and their love for each other.
I don't want to give too much away. The story is touching, heart-warming, gives hope, and keeps you hooked from the beginning. As usual Lisa Hobman writes a fantastic, character driven story that really digs deep into the ups and downs of relationships.
I thought that occasionally the sex scenes were unnecessary and took away from the story but all in all a great read.
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