Status Updates From Surrender the Past (Loring-...

So, I really enjoyed this book, and I REALLY want to give it 5 stars, but the content was a little too much, and the subject unpleasant. So, 4 stars? Sweet, cute book, in spite of it all. :) I think I'll try the next one eventually, but I can't imagine having to read about Beatrice! I hope it's not about her!

At the very beginning, I wasn't sure I'd like Easton and Elinor, but by the end, I respected and liked them VERY much. :) They were under a lot of stress, when they first met, and misunderstood each other. It took a little time to get to know them. They weren't who they seemed.

It had a lot of lovable supporting characters: Elinor's grandmother, Andrew (Elinor's brother), the Earl (Easton's father), Sir Charles (Elinor's father), Josie and Buffy, etc. I liked that the good weren't perfect, and the bad weren't completely evil (except for Beatrice, of course, who obviously was ;) ) and that there was forgiveness and healing. There was a sweetness about it. :)

I liked that the man responsible was sincerely sorry for, and ashamed of what he'd done (6 years ago) and asked her forgiveness. Grace is beautiful. :) But he kept getting punched and scolded by different people, which made me laugh. Especially just before the final time he got decked, when he said something like "I suppose you want to have a go at me too". I could just see him saying it like Eeyore. LOL.

By the time I reached the final flashback, I disagreed with the reviews. The first couple(?) Of flashbacks I was fine with, but the third one, though not terribly vulgar, was too detailed; I think you could call it a 'scene'. Rape is such a scary thing, you don't need to describe it. I think it's disturbing enough just to imply it. But maybe that's just me. I feel like "Eww, no one wants to know that!"

This wasn't the funniest, happiest book, but it had some nice humor now and then, and a comforting/hopeful tone (and a happy ending), in spite of the all the bad stuff that went on. I normally avoid books with rape in them like the plague, but after checking reviews, which stated that the rape flashbacks/nightmares were handled well, I decided to read it anyway.