But I’m glad I stuck with it. This author is immensely talented and her work is an amazing experience to read. Her prose are poetic, and lyrical even, resonating profoundly in the reader's soul. She lures the reader in with hypnotic phrases and picturesque ballads, captivating the mind and gripping the heart. So why would I be ready to give up on this kind of writing?
It comes down to the intimate scenes. The details of the sexy times between the H/h aren’t very in depth, but I don’t take issue with that. This author does a beautiful job of building intimacy through thought and emotion, far more so than through physical descriptions, so that the intimacy between the hero and heroine easily transcend the mere physical. This makes it all the more puzzling for me to understand the need to give any details of the H being intimate with random women, not once, but TWICE. In a book that is so clearly a romance, with such deep, evocative emotion, those scenes serve no purpose except to possibly alienate the reader from a character she is supposed to love. It does nothing to advance the storyline or add to the romance. If anything, it potentially cheapens an otherwise beautiful, all encompassing, deeply heartfelt, soul stirring reading experience. Another minor thing that puzzled me was the same person going by two different names, Emma and Jane, and not having it explained. I understand the need within the storyline, but I would have liked an explanation so it didn’t leave me confused.
So I struggled with the star rating. If this were a book by a less talented author, I very likely would have given three stars, and perhaps less. That’s how strongly I feel about details of the hero's pre-heroine exploits in a romance novel. Without those scenes, this book is worthy of more than five stars. The author's gift for building a vivid, tangible, realistic world with endearing, flawed, compelling characters is clearly evident in this book, and the plot and storyline were fresh, unique and perfectly executed. I loved the supernatural element and how the author wove it throughout the story. She also did an excellent job of merging past and present and the different points of view. I will warn that this book also deals with some subjects that may be difficult for some (spoiler below) but the author did a wonderful job with it, handling it honestly but also gently and carefully, which again speaks to her talent.
In spite of my misgiving and discomfort with a small part of this book, I am glad I read it. This is one of those stories that touches you in ways you may not realize until days later, leaving you with a lot to think about long after the last page. It deals with a fascinating concept that can’t help but leave its mark, leaving the reader pondering, wondering, and perhaps with a different way of viewing the world and interactions with others. Soul mates, fate, destiny, eternal love. You may look at all of these things with fresh eyes after reading this book.
*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review. (Spoiler/trigger warning below.)
Spoiler/Trigger Warning: This book deals with childhood abuse and suicide.
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Unwell Hydration from Alex Cooper
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2018
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