reading

Excited about Reading: Her One and Only by Becky Wade

/ Dora Hiers / 10 Comments

her one and only wadeIt’s been a year since I devoured a Becky Wade book, so I was excited about reading Her One and Only, the 4th book in the Porter Family series. Here’s a little about the book then let’s chat. 🙂

The Cover Story~

Gray Fowler, star NFL tight end, is being pursued by a stalker, so his team hires a protection agency to keep Gray under the watch of a bodyguard at all times. When Gray meets Dru Porter, an agent assigned to him, he’s indignant. How can an attractive young female half his size possibly protect him?

But Dru’s a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt. She’s also ferociously determined to uncover the identity of Gray’s stalker. And she’s just as determined to avoid any kind of romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past. But the closer they get to finding the stalker, the closer they grow to each other. As the danger rises, can Dru and Gray entrust their hearts–and their lives–to one another?

Let’s Chat~

So, let me just start off saying I’m not a huge fan of prologues or books that begin with “3 months earlier” and this book had both. Once I got dates/characters/details situated in my head and waded through a somewhat slow beginning, the quick, witty and sarcastic dialog moved things along at a much faster clip. I laughed out loud at some of Dru’s zingers. Don’t give up!

Although ten years separate Dru from the youngest of her three brothers, she’s determined to prove that she can be as good or better than her siblings. A former Marine (just like them) now an Executive Protective Agent (bodyguard), she’s assigned to protect Gray, the “big football player.” A female bodyguard protecting a big, brawny hero. Quite the twist, don’t you think? Tough and not-at-all-girly, Dru adores her family and spends a lot of time with her quirky elderly neighbor, which makes her totally likable in my opinion.

What’s the last book you read with a twist on the heroine’s profession? What was the twist and did you like it?

NFL star Gray Fowler prefers his dates to be agreeable and warm, totally opposite prickly and disagreeable Dru. But since he’s not keen on his teammates razzing him about being protected by a female, he passes Dru off as his girlfriend. Soon, his thoughts revolve mostly around her, rather than football, and he discovers he likes feisty, strong-willed and direct much more than hero worship. But, Gray…that bet? What were you thinking?? lol.

Because of childhood issues, Gray steers clear of long lasting relationships. When he’s forced to confront his demons, he reveals his “hidden parts” to Dru, definitely a turning point for him. Dru didn’t judge, didn’t think or call him weak; rather, she offered something he needed desperately…all-in protection. Who’d have guessed that a big, hunky football player’s deepest need was protection? But her fierce protectiveness birthed trust.

Dru’s quirky neighbor reinforced and expanded the theme of letting go of your past by forgiving and moving forward. We’re reintroduced to the entire Porter clan and Bo and Meg confront a paralyzing fear. The birth of a foal conveys a subtle faith message.

He (God) wasn’t taking her concerns away. Rather, He was holding her up through them.

The faith element wasn’t in your face, but not bashful, either. Dru struggles with dating a man with questionable faith. Gray drinks and mows through girlfriends, but feels he behaves better than most of his friends. Real (believable) change takes place in both characters throughout the story. Overall, I really enjoyed Her One and Only and I’m looking forward to reading the next book by Wade.

TO PONDER: What we show to the world, whether it’s fierceness or confidence or rebellion, often hides deep wounds and/or ferocious fears. When someone reveals those soft spots, doesn’t it almost always change our feelings toward them? What do you think?

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of Her One and Only for the purposes of reading and offering my fair and unbiased opinion. I was in no way compensated for my review.

Excited about Reading: Going back by Jennifer Young

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

The cover story~

Feisty, redheaded, and fabulously rich student, Leona Castellano, is set upon returning to her Italian roots to put an old feud to bed. Her grandfather is dead, but his former enemy, Faustino Manfredi, seems determined the hostility should not die with him and turns his fury upon Leona.

When she becomes close to Faustino’s grandson, Nico, their romance strengthens Faustino’s vendetta and attracts the opposition of Leona’s parents, bringing Leona and Nico face to face with a terrible secret.

Sharing my thoughts~

Leona vacillated between rich spoiled child and a naive woman who hoped to reconcile families over an ancient feud. Moody and petulant, Nico’s inability to stand up to his father and grandfather annoyed me, but his love and concern for his sister redeemed him. Both characters dealt with a myriad of family issues and struggled to assert their independence.

“Somehow his loyalty made him less of a hero. When I fell in love with a man, it would be one who stood up for himself, even if that meant standing up to me.” ~Leona

Let me just put this out there. As a romance lover, I felt cheated with the actual romance in Going Back, as if all the juicy details happened before the first page.  I really wish the opening scene revealed the “inciting incident,” the one everybody rehashes repeatedly from differing POV’s. Instead, the wooing (if there was any) took place before the book opens (perhaps in the first book, A Portrait of My Love?), and Nico and Leona never connect on the page until approximately 23% into the book. When they finally get together, they argue, which even leads to a behind-the-door bedroom scene. Really? The romance lover in me cringed and wanted to close the book.

But I didn’t. Because, while Going Back lacked romance, it made up for it big in drama and family dynamics. Specifically, dealing with manipulative and controlling family members. We all have one, don’t we? A family member, whether by blood or marriage, who attempts to control you through manipulation or guilt or just plain browbeat you into submission. Until someone stands up to them or we distance ourselves, this person continues their abhorrent behavior.

“Somehow he and I would overcome everything, would make it work and put an end to the stupidity of hatred, instead of allowing it to reach into the third generation and taint it, the way it had done in the first and the second.”

I kept reading, anxious to see how the characters would overcome the obstacles to their happy-ever-after. The POV switches between 3rd (Nico) and 1st person (Leona), all separated by appropriate breaks, distracted me. Based on events and secrets that unfolded, I expected some kind of twist, but the author delivered a shock that even I didn’t see coming. 🙂

So, maybe not as much romance as I prefer, but the ending satisfied my happily-ever-after requirement. Jammed with drama and knitted with a heavy theme of forgiveness, Going Back was worth the read.

“Being good and kind and forgiving isn’t easy. You do it bit by bit.”
Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to Tirgearr Publishers and Jennifer Young for allowing me the privilege of reviewing Going Back and for the free copy I received in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This opinion is my own, and I received no compensation.