Oh my gawd!!! I absolutely loved this book!!! It quite literally caused my heart to hurt and my gut to churn before flinging me up and away in the most amazing freefall of emotions.
Dean lost his arm three years ago in a ferryboat explosion. During the long and painful days of recovery, he found Cora to be a bright spot of color and hope. Now he’s struggling daily to find some reason as to the purpose of his life. He is rambling throughout his days without any clear destination. The locals consider him a hero but he knows the truth. He is quite broken and there will never be any coming back from that fact.
Cora has finally left her previous life behind her and is moving to Ocracoke, a small island in the outer banks. Years ago a patient shared stories of the island and when the time came for her to make the decision to move her daughter and herself away from Virginia, it was this idyllic place that she chose. She is broken in spirit despite the front she puts on for her child.
When these two meet again things get…awkward. Each of them must deal with their own emotional and physical scars even as they yearn for more. Trust does not come easily to either of them but they slowly begin to build a relationship that has the potential to be the stuff of dreams.
I adored both Cora and Dean. Dean’s pain is felt in every word of his journal entries even as Cora’s blog masks her own pain and lies. They each must face their pasts, despite their fears, in order to find healing and ultimately a forever kind of love. The actions of doing so was immensely moving and gut wrenching as they both take a step forward and then two steps back before finally leaping into the future.
Lizzie, Cora’s daughter, was quite a character. Not your typical 4/5 year old. She is quite literally a genius and adds depth to the story that most child characters are unable to accomplish. I loved her sheer honesty in spite of her scary intelligence.
This was a well written story that never bogged down. Filled with exemplary secondary characters, angst from mostly inner turmoil, a smattering of humor, a slow burn relationship and the most perfect HEA, this is definitely worth checking out.
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something different
I was gifted a copy for an honest review. I loved this quick read. I like to read stories where the lead character is disabled. I just like to see how love can trump all. You really do have to give them an ego boost. It's also good to see how much someone disable can add to your life. Cora was so determined to cover everything up she wasn't in touch with her emotions. Dean couldn't see himself returning to the man he once was. Cora and her daughter showed him how much life can go on, and it's the little steps you take. I love the traumatic scene at the end. I love how J.L Berg wrapped up the novel in a nice little bow. I gave the book 4/5 stars. I would suggest this for anyone wanting to read something different but just as good as any adult romance.
