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Toronto #1
Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo
When Candice's in-laws were killed eight months ago buying a huge faux polar bear rug for her Christmas present, she lost more than just two of her favorite people: she lost her husband Ian as well. After only two years of marriage, their guilt and pain have left them living together but apart, unable to really talk for fear of what they'll say to each other.
Ian leaves for a month-long contract overseas, and Candice plans to use the time apart to decide whether her marriage can be saved. When her ex walks back into her life as the new client at work, ten years more attractive yet saddened by his own recent loss, she's left wondering what she really wants from life and love.
Ian leaves for a month-long contract overseas, and Candice plans to use the time apart to decide whether her marriage can be saved. When her ex walks back into her life as the new client at work, ten years more attractive yet saddened by his own recent loss, she's left wondering what she really wants from life and love.
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
159 people are currently reading
1549 people want to read
About the author
Heather Wardell
30 books286 followersI am a natural 1200 wpm speed reader and the author of twenty-three self-published novels including the free ebook "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" which has had over 400,000 downloads.
In my spare time, I read, run, swim, crochet, take care of my cat Pearl, and play drums and clarinet. Generally not all at once.
I only record books here if I absolutely love them and hugely recommend them. I definitely read more than you see here. :)
In my spare time, I read, run, swim, crochet, take care of my cat Pearl, and play drums and clarinet. Generally not all at once.
I only record books here if I absolutely love them and hugely recommend them. I definitely read more than you see here. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
December 31, 2012
Show. Don't tell.
I've read books where there was more telling than showing, and yes, it negatively effects the story. Never before, however, have I read a book where there wasn't even a single instance of the author showing the reader anything. This book is 250+ pages of the author telling the reader what's going on. And somehow, even though she tells the reader such banal details as the fact that the female protagonist brushed her hair before leaving the gym, she still managed to leave out certain other details that she alludes to later in the story. It's like reading the haphazard diary of a hyper teenage girl. "I told my cat to enjoy it while he could because once Ian got home, he'd be back to sleeping in the basement overnight. Oh...did I mention a hundred or so pages ago that my cat doesn't normally sleep on my bed?" No, sorry, you didn't. While this wouldn't be a huge deal under different circumstances, it smacks of lazy, unconcerned writing, and it happens on more than one occasion. I felt like the author just couldn't be bothered to tell me an entire story. But then the repetition in other areas was enough to make me want to scream, "Stop obsessing!" Do you know how many times the reader is treated to the protagonist's adventures at the gym? If you do, could you please tell me? Because I lost count.
This whole book could be a lesson on how first-person perspective can go horribly wrong; I woke up feeling sore, but decided to go to the gym. I did twenty minutes on the elliptical, and then managed another twenty on the treadmill before hitting the weight circuit and, finally, soaking in the hot tub before taking a shower. When I was finished, I took the subway to work. After sitting down at my desk, I went over the tasks for the day, wondering if Lou had sneaked any more "top priority" jobs into my inbox at the last minute. Kegan hadn't called, and I was glad for that. The less time I spent around him, the better. Did I really want to stay away, though? Or did I want to stay with Ian? Allyson looked at me and smiled and her ample blondness made me feel pasty and drab in comparison. I know I'll never be beautiful, but somehow, Ian thinks I am. I couldn't concentrate on work, so I put my headphones on and fired up the Meatloaf CD that always helped me focus. When I was finished at work for the day, I contemplated calling Larissa to see if she wanted to meet for dinner. I wondered if she would even answer or if she was still mad at me for speaking to Kegan. My cell phone rang and I saw it was Kegan. Should I answer? I did, and he asked if I wanted to go to dinner. I didn't want to sit at home alone, but I couldn't go to dinner with Kegan. Could I? I said yes.
The whole book is like that.
I've read books where there was more telling than showing, and yes, it negatively effects the story. Never before, however, have I read a book where there wasn't even a single instance of the author showing the reader anything. This book is 250+ pages of the author telling the reader what's going on. And somehow, even though she tells the reader such banal details as the fact that the female protagonist brushed her hair before leaving the gym, she still managed to leave out certain other details that she alludes to later in the story. It's like reading the haphazard diary of a hyper teenage girl. "I told my cat to enjoy it while he could because once Ian got home, he'd be back to sleeping in the basement overnight. Oh...did I mention a hundred or so pages ago that my cat doesn't normally sleep on my bed?" No, sorry, you didn't. While this wouldn't be a huge deal under different circumstances, it smacks of lazy, unconcerned writing, and it happens on more than one occasion. I felt like the author just couldn't be bothered to tell me an entire story. But then the repetition in other areas was enough to make me want to scream, "Stop obsessing!" Do you know how many times the reader is treated to the protagonist's adventures at the gym? If you do, could you please tell me? Because I lost count.
This whole book could be a lesson on how first-person perspective can go horribly wrong; I woke up feeling sore, but decided to go to the gym. I did twenty minutes on the elliptical, and then managed another twenty on the treadmill before hitting the weight circuit and, finally, soaking in the hot tub before taking a shower. When I was finished, I took the subway to work. After sitting down at my desk, I went over the tasks for the day, wondering if Lou had sneaked any more "top priority" jobs into my inbox at the last minute. Kegan hadn't called, and I was glad for that. The less time I spent around him, the better. Did I really want to stay away, though? Or did I want to stay with Ian? Allyson looked at me and smiled and her ample blondness made me feel pasty and drab in comparison. I know I'll never be beautiful, but somehow, Ian thinks I am. I couldn't concentrate on work, so I put my headphones on and fired up the Meatloaf CD that always helped me focus. When I was finished at work for the day, I contemplated calling Larissa to see if she wanted to meet for dinner. I wondered if she would even answer or if she was still mad at me for speaking to Kegan. My cell phone rang and I saw it was Kegan. Should I answer? I did, and he asked if I wanted to go to dinner. I didn't want to sit at home alone, but I couldn't go to dinner with Kegan. Could I? I said yes.
The whole book is like that.
April 23, 2011
This is the first book I have read from Heather Wardell and I loved it! Her writing style is quite unique and the story is very original in my opinion. Every character development in the story was captured my attention. Specially Candice. ;)
Though comparing between the two, Ian and Kegan I was quite confused like Candice was. Who wouldn't be? But the way Candice grew through out the novel was absolutely amazing. I loved the fact that she had a friend like Larissa to keep her on her her toes. Everyone needs someone like that in their life. I know I do *snort*
Between the two men, Kagen and Ian I had to keep guessing who might Candice choose. Once I am so sure she would stay with Ian when something he said gets in the way and makes me think maybe Kagen's the better choice! Then Kagan's past present behavior makes me confuse and question if he is the right choice for Candice. *sigh*
I was very happy with the ending and how strong each character came out after wards.
Recommended to all who loves women's fiction!
Though comparing between the two, Ian and Kegan I was quite confused like Candice was. Who wouldn't be? But the way Candice grew through out the novel was absolutely amazing. I loved the fact that she had a friend like Larissa to keep her on her her toes. Everyone needs someone like that in their life. I know I do *snort*
Between the two men, Kagen and Ian I had to keep guessing who might Candice choose. Once I am so sure she would stay with Ian when something he said gets in the way and makes me think maybe Kagen's the better choice! Then Kagan's past present behavior makes me confuse and question if he is the right choice for Candice. *sigh*
I was very happy with the ending and how strong each character came out after wards.
Recommended to all who loves women's fiction!
June 15, 2010
This was a free e-book I downloaded from Barnes and Noble because it sounded decent, especially for a free e-book. Starting the book caused me to feel a little lost, as if I was a few pages behind. I didn’t have enough information to understand the weirdness and struggle between Candice and Ian so it felt odd. As the story continued the reader receives for information and is able to start piecing together the event that lead to the near breaking point of their marriage. I struggled to give Ian a fair shot at being the good guy, partially because of what transpires and partially because I didn’t hear much from him in the book. I became very connected with Candice and became very pro-Candice to the point of just wanting her to have some happy times, regardless of the consequences. Her transformation, both physical and emotional, leads to a much happier person who makes choices instead of dancing on egg shells. In an effort not to give away details that spoil this book for others, I will be brief and secretive, but I think the ending should have gone the other way. It just felt more “right” to me!
September 19, 2018
This book is a train wreck of nonsense. It's a poorly written, sloppily edited who-will-she-choose "love" story, where the only good character is best friend Larissa who constantly points out that Candice is being stupid and playing with fire when she flirts with her old first love Kegan (who she hasn't seen in a decade), and toys with the idea of leaving her marriage to Ian. Maybe she's thinking of leaving Ian because he said something cruel to her when he was devestated by the initial shock and grief of his parents' deaths -- and yes, what he said was really shitty, *but* both of his parents had *just* died tragically and unexpectedly and he probably wasn't thinking clearly -- or maybe it's because their relationship is too boring (it's hard to tell, Ian is barely even in the book). But either way Candice is not a sympathetic character, and by the end I thought she probably shouldn't be with either guy.
My best reviews/recaps are for books I don't like, so buckle up. ;)
Here be spoilers. And I'm not tagging them because you shouldn't read this book, and you should count yourself lucky if you get spoiled so that you can not read it, and instead go read something better.
There is a lot going on in this book that makes me shake my head no. Let's start with Candice. All she does is cry. She cries and crochets. She cries and goes to the gym. She cries to Kegan, in the shower, to her cat, to her boss, and while arguing with her friends about whether or not she's a shitty person for cheating on Ian.
Her friends are just weird, because they start off with this assumption that when Candice has to work with Kegan (through no fault of her own, for perfectly legitimate reasons), that she's automatically going to try to rekindle their relationship. From a decade ago. Even though SHE dumped HIM for being an assbag. What?
But I guess they were correct, because as soon as Kegan starts winking at her (which OMG! STAHP!) she is basically like, "Whelp, he's totally changed. Maybe I should throw away my marriage and go back to this guy who insulted me and broke my heart and who I haven't seen in a decade." But first, the gym, and some more crying.
She gives herself a makeover (and gets the titular polar bear tattoo), all while her husband Ian is away for work, which sure, fine. I have no problems with her doing things to build up her self esteem, and if a short haircut, some highlights, and a tattoo make her feel empowered and happy, rock on girl. These are some of the least objectionable scenes in the book.
She drinks a lot, goes out clubbing, and eventually makes out with Kegan, and very nearly ends up in bed with him, but thinks better of it and leaves. But despite not having sex with Kegan, she still can't make up her mind if she wants to leave Ian for Kegan, or if she wants to give up Kegan and stay married. And goes out on another date with him, because you know, that's a good idea.
Let's jump over to Kegan now, and say right off the bat that his restaurant is totally going to fail. For starters, he appears to have done exactly zero research into the neighborhood he's putting the restaurant into (he asks Candice where people go for "fun" and doesn't seen to know anything about his competition).
Then later, he's a total asshole to a waiter in another restaurant (as a customer) because the waiter brought the correct food, but got it switched and set his food in front of Candice and Candice's food in front of him, and he lost his ever loving shit. NO SECOND CHANCES! Um, dude, you'll lose your entire waitstaff like, the first night you open.
He also doesn't seem to have any cooking experience of his own, a chef lined up to cook for him, any sort of business sense with regards to running a restaurant, ordering for a restaurant, hiring/staffing a restaurant, or basically any plausible ability to open a successful restaurant at all, except that he wants to, so he did. Of course your parents think you are being stupid. Now, I know I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief here, but I just watch way too many cooking shows, and have watched Gordon Ramsey scream profanities at too many dumb restaurateurs to not find this part of the plot patently absurd.
Restaurant issues aside, he sees Candice* for the first time in 10 years, THROUGH SHEER HAPPENSTANCE, and decides, OMG, I must get back together with her. I give no fucks that she's married. She was mine first, so I must have her back.
*Or Candy as he calls her, despite her telling him repeatedly that she doesn't want to be called that any more, until eventually she just gives up correcting him because he's an entitled white man who does whatever the fuck he wants. See also him pursuing her EVEN THOUGH HE IS PERFECTLY AWARE SHE IS MARRIED.
As previously discussed, Candice falls for this little routine and starts dating him, and feels sort of bad about it in a whishy washy way, and spends the majority of the book crying and angsting over Kegan vs Ian. Ian vs. Kegan.
She finally decides that Ian is who she really wants to be with after almost getting in a car accident while driving her boss Lou to a new client site. (Lou is also a piece of work BTW, at one point in the book he's on the verge of firing her because the two of them had a miscommunication about why she would have preferred not to work so closely with Kegan, but by the end of the book she's earned a big promotion. Not a healthy work environment.) I basically knew she was going to pick Ian from the get-go, since that's how these formulaic "romances" always play out, but I didn't predict that a second car accident would be the catalyst, and really I should have, because thinking back it was pretty obviously foreshadowed.
Then Candice decides to tell Ian that she cheated on him (and yes, she didn't have sex with Kegan, but they made out a lot, and this was definitely an emotional affair). And, surprise surprise! Ian's been playing kissy face with one of his co-workers too! Shocker! Guess we know why he lost his mind when she suggested they go to couples counseling when he got back.
He punches a hole in a wall (NOT HEALTHY!). They talk things out over instant messanger, and decide they both love each other and want to stay together. Candice tells Kegan to go away and tells all her friends she told him to buzz off so they won't hate her. She paces around the house wishing she had a hobby while waiting to pickup Ian form the airport. (Um... huH? all that crocheting I had to read about isn't a hobby? all those books she bought at random points along the way? smacking herself in the face with the arms of the elliptical machine? ALL HOBBIES!)
Ian comes home, AND NOW THEY BOTH HAVE TATTOOS! IT'S TRUE LOVE!
Fin.
My best reviews/recaps are for books I don't like, so buckle up. ;)
Here be spoilers. And I'm not tagging them because you shouldn't read this book, and you should count yourself lucky if you get spoiled so that you can not read it, and instead go read something better.
There is a lot going on in this book that makes me shake my head no. Let's start with Candice. All she does is cry. She cries and crochets. She cries and goes to the gym. She cries to Kegan, in the shower, to her cat, to her boss, and while arguing with her friends about whether or not she's a shitty person for cheating on Ian.
Her friends are just weird, because they start off with this assumption that when Candice has to work with Kegan (through no fault of her own, for perfectly legitimate reasons), that she's automatically going to try to rekindle their relationship. From a decade ago. Even though SHE dumped HIM for being an assbag. What?
But I guess they were correct, because as soon as Kegan starts winking at her (which OMG! STAHP!) she is basically like, "Whelp, he's totally changed. Maybe I should throw away my marriage and go back to this guy who insulted me and broke my heart and who I haven't seen in a decade." But first, the gym, and some more crying.
She gives herself a makeover (and gets the titular polar bear tattoo), all while her husband Ian is away for work, which sure, fine. I have no problems with her doing things to build up her self esteem, and if a short haircut, some highlights, and a tattoo make her feel empowered and happy, rock on girl. These are some of the least objectionable scenes in the book.
She drinks a lot, goes out clubbing, and eventually makes out with Kegan, and very nearly ends up in bed with him, but thinks better of it and leaves. But despite not having sex with Kegan, she still can't make up her mind if she wants to leave Ian for Kegan, or if she wants to give up Kegan and stay married. And goes out on another date with him, because you know, that's a good idea.
Let's jump over to Kegan now, and say right off the bat that his restaurant is totally going to fail. For starters, he appears to have done exactly zero research into the neighborhood he's putting the restaurant into (he asks Candice where people go for "fun" and doesn't seen to know anything about his competition).
Then later, he's a total asshole to a waiter in another restaurant (as a customer) because the waiter brought the correct food, but got it switched and set his food in front of Candice and Candice's food in front of him, and he lost his ever loving shit. NO SECOND CHANCES! Um, dude, you'll lose your entire waitstaff like, the first night you open.
He also doesn't seem to have any cooking experience of his own, a chef lined up to cook for him, any sort of business sense with regards to running a restaurant, ordering for a restaurant, hiring/staffing a restaurant, or basically any plausible ability to open a successful restaurant at all, except that he wants to, so he did. Of course your parents think you are being stupid. Now, I know I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief here, but I just watch way too many cooking shows, and have watched Gordon Ramsey scream profanities at too many dumb restaurateurs to not find this part of the plot patently absurd.
Restaurant issues aside, he sees Candice* for the first time in 10 years, THROUGH SHEER HAPPENSTANCE, and decides, OMG, I must get back together with her. I give no fucks that she's married. She was mine first, so I must have her back.
*Or Candy as he calls her, despite her telling him repeatedly that she doesn't want to be called that any more, until eventually she just gives up correcting him because he's an entitled white man who does whatever the fuck he wants. See also him pursuing her EVEN THOUGH HE IS PERFECTLY AWARE SHE IS MARRIED.
As previously discussed, Candice falls for this little routine and starts dating him, and feels sort of bad about it in a whishy washy way, and spends the majority of the book crying and angsting over Kegan vs Ian. Ian vs. Kegan.
She finally decides that Ian is who she really wants to be with after almost getting in a car accident while driving her boss Lou to a new client site. (Lou is also a piece of work BTW, at one point in the book he's on the verge of firing her because the two of them had a miscommunication about why she would have preferred not to work so closely with Kegan, but by the end of the book she's earned a big promotion. Not a healthy work environment.) I basically knew she was going to pick Ian from the get-go, since that's how these formulaic "romances" always play out, but I didn't predict that a second car accident would be the catalyst, and really I should have, because thinking back it was pretty obviously foreshadowed.
Then Candice decides to tell Ian that she cheated on him (and yes, she didn't have sex with Kegan, but they made out a lot, and this was definitely an emotional affair). And, surprise surprise! Ian's been playing kissy face with one of his co-workers too! Shocker! Guess we know why he lost his mind when she suggested they go to couples counseling when he got back.
He punches a hole in a wall (NOT HEALTHY!). They talk things out over instant messanger, and decide they both love each other and want to stay together. Candice tells Kegan to go away and tells all her friends she told him to buzz off so they won't hate her. She paces around the house wishing she had a hobby while waiting to pickup Ian form the airport. (Um... huH? all that crocheting I had to read about isn't a hobby? all those books she bought at random points along the way? smacking herself in the face with the arms of the elliptical machine? ALL HOBBIES!)
Ian comes home, AND NOW THEY BOTH HAVE TATTOOS! IT'S TRUE LOVE!
Fin.
December 29, 2014
Have you ever thought about the one that broke your heart? Candice and Ian have only been married for a short time, but tragedy, misplaced guilt and blame have built a wall of ice and doubt between them. Ian has a month long job overseas, will this time apart give them the chance to examine their true feelings or will outside forces interfere and cut the last remaining tendrils of love they share?
A new client has sent Candice reeling, falling down the rabbit hole of heartbreak, fantasy and love lost. None other than her ex, the one who crushed her is now back, handsome as ever, in control and coming on like gangbusters toward Candice. Could her dreams of life with Kegan become a reality? Could they have a future? Has he really changed or is she a conquest, another notch on his belt? At the risk of losing her integrity, her husband and her friends, a few reckless moments may or may not be the best thing to happen to her. Ian is coming home soon, and Candice must decide, will she fight for her marriage or fly away to live the life in the fast lane with Kegan. Is it possible to love two polar opposite men? How does Candice tell Ian? What will he say? Will her friends ever forgive her? Can she forgive herself for the pain she will cause?
Heather Wardell and Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo will scrape your emotions and feelings raw as you follow Candice’s story, hear her thoughts and listen to her justifications. Candice appears to have a conscience, but manages to twist her actions into being justified; looking for change, when what she is feeling is lost, confused and alone. Kegan’s re-entry into her life is shocking at best, the worst timing ever in reality. Fate? A test? Ian became a shadow that haunted Candice, almost as if he wasn’t real, and trust me, he is not a saint, but he is real. I can’t’ say I liked Kegan much; he was like a snake toying with his food before devouring it whole and Candice was definitely on the menu. Candice’s friends were her sage advisors, but she failed to listen to them and demonstrated poor judgment over and over. No, I am not criticizing Ms. Wardell’s work, it is brilliant! She has fictionalized reality and hit the nail on the head, over and over. Her writing style is brutally strong, unapologetic for either her character’s actions or the direction this tale took! Flaws as big as warts, lies as evil as the sins committed, and no thought of the consequences until the plot was set, never once did Ms. Wardell paint a rosy picture of any of her characters, and she never asked me to like them. What Ms. Wardell did do was evoke my feelings, my opinions, and my wrath for what was going on. That is gifted writing, that is connecting with her readers.
Series: Toronto - Book 1
Publication Date: December 16, 2013
Publisher: Heather Wardell
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 256 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
A new client has sent Candice reeling, falling down the rabbit hole of heartbreak, fantasy and love lost. None other than her ex, the one who crushed her is now back, handsome as ever, in control and coming on like gangbusters toward Candice. Could her dreams of life with Kegan become a reality? Could they have a future? Has he really changed or is she a conquest, another notch on his belt? At the risk of losing her integrity, her husband and her friends, a few reckless moments may or may not be the best thing to happen to her. Ian is coming home soon, and Candice must decide, will she fight for her marriage or fly away to live the life in the fast lane with Kegan. Is it possible to love two polar opposite men? How does Candice tell Ian? What will he say? Will her friends ever forgive her? Can she forgive herself for the pain she will cause?
Heather Wardell and Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo will scrape your emotions and feelings raw as you follow Candice’s story, hear her thoughts and listen to her justifications. Candice appears to have a conscience, but manages to twist her actions into being justified; looking for change, when what she is feeling is lost, confused and alone. Kegan’s re-entry into her life is shocking at best, the worst timing ever in reality. Fate? A test? Ian became a shadow that haunted Candice, almost as if he wasn’t real, and trust me, he is not a saint, but he is real. I can’t’ say I liked Kegan much; he was like a snake toying with his food before devouring it whole and Candice was definitely on the menu. Candice’s friends were her sage advisors, but she failed to listen to them and demonstrated poor judgment over and over. No, I am not criticizing Ms. Wardell’s work, it is brilliant! She has fictionalized reality and hit the nail on the head, over and over. Her writing style is brutally strong, unapologetic for either her character’s actions or the direction this tale took! Flaws as big as warts, lies as evil as the sins committed, and no thought of the consequences until the plot was set, never once did Ms. Wardell paint a rosy picture of any of her characters, and she never asked me to like them. What Ms. Wardell did do was evoke my feelings, my opinions, and my wrath for what was going on. That is gifted writing, that is connecting with her readers.
Series: Toronto - Book 1
Publication Date: December 16, 2013
Publisher: Heather Wardell
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 256 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com
July 7, 2011
New author for me…surprised this book was a freebie! I really liked this author and the story. It was considered chick lit, but the storyline is so intense and keeps you guessing on the edge of your seat that I’d almost give it a suspense category. I just HAD to finish it once I started. I was beside myself waiting to find out the ending. If the book had had a table of contents (Kindle books sometimes leave them out) I admit I would have “reader cheated” and read the ending to stop my anxiety attack over the potential ending.
I did have conflicts with the two male lead characters. I both liked and disliked Ian and Kegan. Have to say I was definitely Team Kegan though. That’s one intense hot dude!!!! Felt there wasn’t enough about Ian given to the reader for us to really make up our minds. Thought he was very sweet but a bit of a dud at the beginning. He was expanded upon more near the end. Kegan had some really great qualities but I kept excepting something bad to jump out and screw Candice over. There were a lot of things not dealt with and left unsaid that bothered me about Kegan. The CD’s etc. (Was it my trust issues or Candice’s coming through???) LOL. Candice’s angst was heartfelt and her choice a tough one to make. No spoilers here and that’s REALLY tough to do. I was confused as to how Candice couldn’t say she loves Kegan out loud but obviously does or else she wouldn’t be faced with the decision to leave Ian. I did like her make over as her character develops and she learns to get what she wants. I totally disliked Larissa and was hoping Candice would lose her for a friend. Guess I was expecting a less one way judgmental friendship. Plain and simple I thought Larissa was a bitch. It was her way or the highway, yet she had the nerve to dislike Kegan for being pushy and controlling. WTF!?!?!?!
To me it’s the sign of a good author when a reader gets emotionally involved with the characters and the story. I was worn out by the end. This book was such a surprise in that it was so different and unusual.
I will definitely read other books by this author and am pleased to know that there are reoccurring characters in her other books.
I did have conflicts with the two male lead characters. I both liked and disliked Ian and Kegan. Have to say I was definitely Team Kegan though. That’s one intense hot dude!!!! Felt there wasn’t enough about Ian given to the reader for us to really make up our minds. Thought he was very sweet but a bit of a dud at the beginning. He was expanded upon more near the end. Kegan had some really great qualities but I kept excepting something bad to jump out and screw Candice over. There were a lot of things not dealt with and left unsaid that bothered me about Kegan. The CD’s etc. (Was it my trust issues or Candice’s coming through???) LOL. Candice’s angst was heartfelt and her choice a tough one to make. No spoilers here and that’s REALLY tough to do. I was confused as to how Candice couldn’t say she loves Kegan out loud but obviously does or else she wouldn’t be faced with the decision to leave Ian. I did like her make over as her character develops and she learns to get what she wants. I totally disliked Larissa and was hoping Candice would lose her for a friend. Guess I was expecting a less one way judgmental friendship. Plain and simple I thought Larissa was a bitch. It was her way or the highway, yet she had the nerve to dislike Kegan for being pushy and controlling. WTF!?!?!?!
To me it’s the sign of a good author when a reader gets emotionally involved with the characters and the story. I was worn out by the end. This book was such a surprise in that it was so different and unusual.
I will definitely read other books by this author and am pleased to know that there are reoccurring characters in her other books.
February 24, 2011
This was a free e-book offered by Barnes & Noble. I didn't have expectations for this book. It was free. I was pleasantly surprised. It was a refreshing read. A simple, straightforward plot. No complicated character backstory. It was a needed change after reading A Discovery Of Witches.
Candice and her husband Ian's marriage of two years has been a little rocky since his parent's death in a car accident eight months prior to the story's beginning. Their situation is complicated further when Ian leaves on a four week work assignment and Candice's first love hires her firm to design his new restaurant. In those four weeks, she learns a lot about her life, what she really wants from it and love.
The lack of defined scene transitions made the book difficult to read at times. You find yourself reading on scene and boom, something totally different pops up. I wondered if I missed something. It's nothing a good edit can't fix. I really liked Candice although she acted a bit immature at times. I believed she made the right decision in the end. This is clearly chick-lit so if you're not into this kind of novel, stay away.
Candice and her husband Ian's marriage of two years has been a little rocky since his parent's death in a car accident eight months prior to the story's beginning. Their situation is complicated further when Ian leaves on a four week work assignment and Candice's first love hires her firm to design his new restaurant. In those four weeks, she learns a lot about her life, what she really wants from it and love.
The lack of defined scene transitions made the book difficult to read at times. You find yourself reading on scene and boom, something totally different pops up. I wondered if I missed something. It's nothing a good edit can't fix. I really liked Candice although she acted a bit immature at times. I believed she made the right decision in the end. This is clearly chick-lit so if you're not into this kind of novel, stay away.
March 9, 2020
2.5 stars
January 20, 2010
Wow! I really liked this book. It was a freebie on B&N book reader and I was unsure about it when I downloaded it. I don't know what I was expecting but I was NOT expecting to sit at my desk and cry and pour my soul out to a co-worker about how this book touched something inside me. Being married is so hard sometimes. Stressors come into the relationship and past baggage and sometimes it is so hard to forgive the other person. Words are exchanged that can shatter your life and you just shove the feelings down and go on, like what happened in this book. Then suddenly, a situation presents itself and you find that you have to confront it all and get it out there. It can be messy and painful in the extreme but hopefully, the result makes your relationship stronger and better than it was before. I could relate to the hurt and anguish that Candace felt and the need to sort things out in her relationship with her husband Ian. I loved how she made changes in her life that made HER feel good about herself and I really love that she went out on a limb and got the tattoo, especially when she found out that Ian had one too. An excellent quick read and I am glad I stumbled across it.
April 5, 2010
For a free download, I didn't have very high expectations. I'd never read the author so I figured I'd give her a shot. I thought it ws very good. It certainly showed the strain marriage can have, especially when there's a long-distance element involved. Sometimes love isn't enough. Yet, sometimes love is -just- enough to muddle through until things get better. I thought the author showed this beautifully.
One negative I have to state was that the story didn't flow very well. That is to say, there were no transitions between scenes sometimes. That could've been all in the ebook formatting, however. I often found myself flipping back and forth, checking to see if I was missing some pages. One sentence the characters would be in a restaurant, the next it was a completely different scene.
All in all, it was very much worth the cost ;) and the reading time, as well.
One negative I have to state was that the story didn't flow very well. That is to say, there were no transitions between scenes sometimes. That could've been all in the ebook formatting, however. I often found myself flipping back and forth, checking to see if I was missing some pages. One sentence the characters would be in a restaurant, the next it was a completely different scene.
All in all, it was very much worth the cost ;) and the reading time, as well.
June 19, 2011
This was one of those kindle freebies that simply caught my eye, partly because of the title. I love tattoos and I think polar bears are cute as hell. And the cover is cute too.. and it was free! However, I didn't expect much from it as my experience with the kindle freebies hasn't always been great.. Boy, was I surprised.
It was one of those weeks in which nothing I picked up held my attention very well.. and I kept coming back to this one. I first read a few pages just to see if it was worth even keeping on my kindle.. and I just kept going. I was hooked by the first person narrative, the honesty, the realness of the heroine, Candice. I also like the writing style, the flow, and I could totally related to what was happening.
For full review, click on the link below:
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/...
It was one of those weeks in which nothing I picked up held my attention very well.. and I kept coming back to this one. I first read a few pages just to see if it was worth even keeping on my kindle.. and I just kept going. I was hooked by the first person narrative, the honesty, the realness of the heroine, Candice. I also like the writing style, the flow, and I could totally related to what was happening.
For full review, click on the link below:
http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2011/...
February 27, 2011
This book is an enjoyable, light read, but it lacked depth. The characters never got past the superficial stage - I was never fully invested. The author's transitions weren't always clear, smooth, or concise. Instead she sometimes just let everything drop. There were several times when I flipped back because I felt as if I'd turned more than one page, or turned a page when I hadn't meant to - like something was missing. The chosen topic/storyline was a good one - one readers can relate to. The lack of character deepness and development makes it difficult to really immerse oneself into the story - to imagine it or feel it.
October 24, 2016
I read this book because the author (hi, Heather!) asked to friend me at Goodreads, after reading my vitriolic review of the lamentable Big Girl. And hey, she's Canadian! Gotta support those Canadian authors! Once I found that out, I surfed around to find her books. This one was free, but that's not the only reason I chose it; I was intrigued by the blurb about a marriage in crisis, because I like stories about relationships, and because anyone who's married knows that marriages take work, and that grief and loss are one of the things that test all kinds of relationships, not just marriages.
The book starts with Candice seeing her husband off at the airport, and the fragile state of their relationship is evident from the start. Candice is a woman adrift in the sea of grief, anger, confusion, distance, and sorrow that her marriage has become. She and Ian walk on eggshells, and cling to the few and mundane things that remain unchanged by the enormous loss of his parents, whom they both loved. She watches him go, she wants him to go, and she makes up her mind to think long and hard about whether her marriage can be saved, whether she wants to save it, and how she can go about it. I liked Candice, sympathized with her, empathized at times, and wanted her to win, to find her way back to passion and love with Ian.
Next day, Candice's ten years ago ex, the ten-years-more-attractive Kegan, turns out to be the new client at work. Her new client, actually, since he decides he'd rather work with her (a design assistant) than with her boss, the actual designer of his restaurant. And I just didn't like Kegan. I didn't like him, I didn't trust him, and I didn't believe in him.
There were a lot of reasons for this. First, he insisted on calling Candice 'Candy', even after she told him she now went by Candice. In my book, that's disrespectful bordering on controlling, and that's not an acceptable behaviour from a romantic interest. (Mind you, Candice let him get away with it, which I found disappointingly weak and self-abnegating, but at least I already knew she was in an emotionally weakened state, so it kind of worked for her character.)
Second, Kegan actively pursued Candice in full knowledge that she was married and that her marriage was troubled, and that her husband was away, and that is a big ol' HELL TO THE NO for me in a romantic lead. I don't understand the motivation of men and women who romantically pursue people they know are married, but I firmly believe it's completely self-serving and often remorseless. It's hard for me to get any romantic thrills from a confused and conflicted woman's interaction with someone who behaves so dishonourably toward her (and toward himself, too).
Third, he had a completely out of context reaction to a waiter's very minor mixup, and I am a firm believer that a person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. I thought he'd be a horrible restaurant-owner boss, with that attitude, too.
Fourth, I believed, all the way through, that he had some kind of hidden agenda, something he wasn't telling Candice. This surmise seemed to be supported by the unacknowledged CD's in his glove box, his tendency to scoot off to take phone calls, and the virtual absence of any other friends in his life, which seemed to hint at a recent ex-girlfriend from whom he was still smarting. Though, the depth of his grief over the loss of his friend George made me wonder, for a time, if he were closeted gay or bisexual, and had something to prove to himself by seducing the woman he had cruelly dumped ten years before.
Fifth, I never understood what it was that drove him to work so hard to win Candice's affection, while he withheld basic decency and respect. I really believed that he was doing it to prove that he could win her back (possibly to assuage his wounded romantic ego), and that if she had given in to him, she would have had ample scope for regret because, having achieved his aim, he would cast her aside again.
The physical distance between Candice and Ian – she in Toronto, he in Bangladesh for a month – is nicely symbolic of the emotional distance that's arisen between them, and both kinds of distance make it easy for Candice to spend a lot of time either with Kegan or thinking about him. Ian needed to be away for this story to happen; if he'd been in town, it would have been a quite different story, because Candice would have had to consciously choose the company of one over the other, and I don't think Kegan would have stood a chance in that case.
Kegan genuinely did stand a chance in this story, though, and although I didn't like him or trust him, I believed that Candice did, and her uncertainty and tentativeness, her hope and her fear, her joy and her inconvenient conscience, all rang true to her character, her past, and her present. The tension, the will-she-won't-she tension, kept up all the way through to the deciding moment, and even beyond.
The book starts with Candice seeing her husband off at the airport, and the fragile state of their relationship is evident from the start. Candice is a woman adrift in the sea of grief, anger, confusion, distance, and sorrow that her marriage has become. She and Ian walk on eggshells, and cling to the few and mundane things that remain unchanged by the enormous loss of his parents, whom they both loved. She watches him go, she wants him to go, and she makes up her mind to think long and hard about whether her marriage can be saved, whether she wants to save it, and how she can go about it. I liked Candice, sympathized with her, empathized at times, and wanted her to win, to find her way back to passion and love with Ian.
Next day, Candice's ten years ago ex, the ten-years-more-attractive Kegan, turns out to be the new client at work. Her new client, actually, since he decides he'd rather work with her (a design assistant) than with her boss, the actual designer of his restaurant. And I just didn't like Kegan. I didn't like him, I didn't trust him, and I didn't believe in him.
There were a lot of reasons for this. First, he insisted on calling Candice 'Candy', even after she told him she now went by Candice. In my book, that's disrespectful bordering on controlling, and that's not an acceptable behaviour from a romantic interest. (Mind you, Candice let him get away with it, which I found disappointingly weak and self-abnegating, but at least I already knew she was in an emotionally weakened state, so it kind of worked for her character.)
Second, Kegan actively pursued Candice in full knowledge that she was married and that her marriage was troubled, and that her husband was away, and that is a big ol' HELL TO THE NO for me in a romantic lead. I don't understand the motivation of men and women who romantically pursue people they know are married, but I firmly believe it's completely self-serving and often remorseless. It's hard for me to get any romantic thrills from a confused and conflicted woman's interaction with someone who behaves so dishonourably toward her (and toward himself, too).
Third, he had a completely out of context reaction to a waiter's very minor mixup, and I am a firm believer that a person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. I thought he'd be a horrible restaurant-owner boss, with that attitude, too.
Fourth, I believed, all the way through, that he had some kind of hidden agenda, something he wasn't telling Candice. This surmise seemed to be supported by the unacknowledged CD's in his glove box, his tendency to scoot off to take phone calls, and the virtual absence of any other friends in his life, which seemed to hint at a recent ex-girlfriend from whom he was still smarting. Though, the depth of his grief over the loss of his friend George made me wonder, for a time, if he were closeted gay or bisexual, and had something to prove to himself by seducing the woman he had cruelly dumped ten years before.
Fifth, I never understood what it was that drove him to work so hard to win Candice's affection, while he withheld basic decency and respect. I really believed that he was doing it to prove that he could win her back (possibly to assuage his wounded romantic ego), and that if she had given in to him, she would have had ample scope for regret because, having achieved his aim, he would cast her aside again.
The physical distance between Candice and Ian – she in Toronto, he in Bangladesh for a month – is nicely symbolic of the emotional distance that's arisen between them, and both kinds of distance make it easy for Candice to spend a lot of time either with Kegan or thinking about him. Ian needed to be away for this story to happen; if he'd been in town, it would have been a quite different story, because Candice would have had to consciously choose the company of one over the other, and I don't think Kegan would have stood a chance in that case.
Kegan genuinely did stand a chance in this story, though, and although I didn't like him or trust him, I believed that Candice did, and her uncertainty and tentativeness, her hope and her fear, her joy and her inconvenient conscience, all rang true to her character, her past, and her present. The tension, the will-she-won't-she tension, kept up all the way through to the deciding moment, and even beyond.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2011
As a 30 something married woman, I felt very connected to Candice and her situation. After the death of her in-laws die in a car crash at Christmas while they are out getting her Christmas gift, her life and relationship with her husband completely change and she begins to question what she wants. She has a cancer scare and opts not to tell her husband about it as he is leaving for an overseas trip for a month. She is an assistant to an interior designer and she feels pretty content in her work, until her boss asks for her assistance on an upcoming job, the client happens to be her ex-boyfriend that broke her heart. There seems to be heat between them from the beginning but she decides she must work though it.
This book explores Candice coming into herself and learning about herself and what she wants out of life. She is faced with the biggest decision does she stay with her husband even though he has told her that he blames her for his parents death or does she risk everything and return to her ex, Keagan. You will have to read to find out.
I am very impressed with Heather Wardell's writing style. Everything about this book could truly happen in real life and that is what I loved about it. I am going to be checking out more of her books. 5/5 stars for this book.
This book explores Candice coming into herself and learning about herself and what she wants out of life. She is faced with the biggest decision does she stay with her husband even though he has told her that he blames her for his parents death or does she risk everything and return to her ex, Keagan. You will have to read to find out.
I am very impressed with Heather Wardell's writing style. Everything about this book could truly happen in real life and that is what I loved about it. I am going to be checking out more of her books. 5/5 stars for this book.
November 10, 2012
Now here's a really nice love story about the trials and triumphs of a relationship. The title doesn't have much to do with the overall story itself; it's just that the character of the narrator loves polar bears so much she had one tattooed on her.
The story tells of what happened in the course of 27 days, almost a month, when a married couple had to live apart because of some job the husband had to go to overseas. It would have been just a month of missing each other, but they parted while there were still some unresolved issues between them.
As to the message this story conveys, it is two-fold. The one I don't like is the consideration of divorce because "the one who got away before is here once again, and I think it's him after all". On the other hand, it also strongly conveys the power of love and commitment to a marriage.
The book was an easy read.....How it all turned out in the end...well, it was all good, but a sucker for romance that I am, I would have wanted a couple more chapters, or even just an epilogue.
The story tells of what happened in the course of 27 days, almost a month, when a married couple had to live apart because of some job the husband had to go to overseas. It would have been just a month of missing each other, but they parted while there were still some unresolved issues between them.
As to the message this story conveys, it is two-fold. The one I don't like is the consideration of divorce because "the one who got away before is here once again, and I think it's him after all". On the other hand, it also strongly conveys the power of love and commitment to a marriage.
The book was an easy read.....How it all turned out in the end...well, it was all good, but a sucker for romance that I am, I would have wanted a couple more chapters, or even just an epilogue.
October 1, 2011
I like that Heather Wardell writes about flawed people. Her Characters are easy to accept when reading because of their flaws. Though not everyone will like this book because of some of the things her characters do, these things can & do happen in life. ( don't want to have spoilers for those who haven't read the book.)
You can be sure I will continue to read Heather Wardell's novels.
When Candice's in-laws died in a car accident eight months ago, she lost her husband Ian too. After only two years of marriage their guilt and pain have left them living together but apart. During Ian's month-long trip overseas, Candice plans to decide if her marriage can be saved, but when the first man she ever loved is the new client at work, she wonders what she truly wants from life and love.
You can be sure I will continue to read Heather Wardell's novels.
When Candice's in-laws died in a car accident eight months ago, she lost her husband Ian too. After only two years of marriage their guilt and pain have left them living together but apart. During Ian's month-long trip overseas, Candice plans to decide if her marriage can be saved, but when the first man she ever loved is the new client at work, she wonders what she truly wants from life and love.
September 16, 2010
Interesting characters and a pretty good plot kept me reading despite the extreme lack of scene transitions and chapter breaks which drove me nuts. Sure, I wanted to smack the main character silly a few times, but I generally think of that as a good thing because it means I care about the character. :) I found myself just as torn toward the end as Candiace was and was genuinely happy with the way the book ended. All in all, good for a free book, but it could have used a little help with editing.
May 20, 2011
I was very pleasantly surprised by this free nook selection. The title caught my eye and I was curious to find out how I could enjoy a book with a polar bear in the title! The writer held my interest and the flow of the book was very easy to read. I immediately connected with the main character, Candice, and could feel her pain when making one of the biggest decisions of her life. I would highly recommend this book and will definitely read other books by this author.
July 11, 2011
Who hasn't been plagued by memories of a former love especially that first love! And what would happen if your spouse/partner was on a long term trip and you had the chance to rekindle that relationship. Well, that was Candice's life. I very much enjoyed this story and her exploring the choices that she had to make! Plus, can't go wrong with a FREE Nook book!!!
October 29, 2014
a really good book. i was totally caught up in the story. the characters are very believable and you really care what happens to them.
Read
January 26, 2013Rereading my own book? Yup - I'm making a page for my web site of connections between my books so I need to reread them all to make it happen. :)
July 20, 2017
This book is not worth your time. Some parts of it are moving and well done, yes, but not enough to make up for the rest of it. The characters fall flat and do things that don't make sense. A large part of the book is spent on the protagonist either at the gym or crying, neither of which is interesting enough to merit as much time as they get. The writing is often stilted, with characters saying things like "...I don't let people do things against me." ???
**spoilers below**
In addition, Kegan, the "other man," is supposed to be this alluring old flame. Mostly, he's just an overgrown manchild. He throws fits when he doesn't get his way, continues to call the main character by a nickname that she explicitly asks him not to and apparently thinks that that is cute and okay, decides after several years that he will pursue a woman he broke up with, and then doesn't apologize for the horrible things he said until he's halfway through re-wooing her. He pressures her into things she knows better than to do, until her self-discipline wears down. The protagonist herself seems incapable of functioning in the world--spending much time crying in public and getting beat up by the equipment during gym sequences. These characters are frustrating and annoying to read, their flaws going so far past relatable that they are almost unreadable.
**spoilers below**
In addition, Kegan, the "other man," is supposed to be this alluring old flame. Mostly, he's just an overgrown manchild. He throws fits when he doesn't get his way, continues to call the main character by a nickname that she explicitly asks him not to and apparently thinks that that is cute and okay, decides after several years that he will pursue a woman he broke up with, and then doesn't apologize for the horrible things he said until he's halfway through re-wooing her. He pressures her into things she knows better than to do, until her self-discipline wears down. The protagonist herself seems incapable of functioning in the world--spending much time crying in public and getting beat up by the equipment during gym sequences. These characters are frustrating and annoying to read, their flaws going so far past relatable that they are almost unreadable.
December 20, 2017
Well...I know they say never judge a book by its cover. But I did. While the cover does play a role in the story, I can’t help but dislike it very much. In fact I would have skipped the book entirely if it didn’t come recommended.
That being said, I wish I would have skipped it. I love books where there’s trouble in paradise and/or plots that have the hint of infidelity. Or ones that do have infidelity. This one was...kind of depressing (even though it shouldn’t be) and the characters were unlikable. I couldn’t jump on board with the story. And I felt myself zoning out several times throughout the novel. It was lackluster at best.
That being said, I wish I would have skipped it. I love books where there’s trouble in paradise and/or plots that have the hint of infidelity. Or ones that do have infidelity. This one was...kind of depressing (even though it shouldn’t be) and the characters were unlikable. I couldn’t jump on board with the story. And I felt myself zoning out several times throughout the novel. It was lackluster at best.
January 3, 2018
This is a good read
This is a good read!
So I know you say a tattoo it was a good thing I didn't stop like I was going to at first. it's just a matter of time before you get home to the good stuff!!!
This is a good read!
So I know you say a tattoo it was a good thing I didn't stop like I was going to at first. it's just a matter of time before you get home to the good stuff!!!
May 7, 2018
I enjoyed this book...an easy read. Since I live in Toronto I could relate to the area in which the novel took place. I am going to continue in this series, but also read some more of her independent books and her second series, Crossfire.
January 2, 2021
Second Chances...
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from this new to me author. A beautiful story of two people trying to overcome their problems in their marriage.
I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from this new to me author. A beautiful story of two people trying to overcome their problems in their marriage.
November 21, 2022
I didn’t like it at all. If you like suggestive sexuality go for it. I must have bought it a long time ago, as well as several others I recently read. I’m going through my library oldest to newest to clear out old purchases b4 I invest in new titles.
December 27, 2018
Cute!!
Glad for happy ending, but appreciated the reality of the struggle. Nice quick read. Will give you the good butterfly feelings.
Glad for happy ending, but appreciated the reality of the struggle. Nice quick read. Will give you the good butterfly feelings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2019
Interesting
While it was beautifully written and shows a lot of emotional depth in the female lead, not nearly enough steamy scenes for my taste.
While it was beautifully written and shows a lot of emotional depth in the female lead, not nearly enough steamy scenes for my taste.
May 4, 2020
2.5 stars
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