Tag: Love

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Dear Gabby

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Dear Gabby,

Your case has captured the world. I’m just sad it had to be because you had to end up being a domestic abuse statistic. It should have been prevented and averted.

I’m sorry that the police didn’t see the real signs and save you. You were so distressed and upset, while Brian was being all cocky and chatty with the police. There was no real concern coming from Brian that you we’re having an anxiety attack of sorts.

My personal observation from watching the police body cam footage was disturbing. Being condescending towards a woman in true distress is infuriating. Gabby was petrified and her distress seemed to be played down instead of being taken seriously. A little spat wouldn’t have someone being as upset as Gabby was. If she was the true aggressor in the fight with Brian she would have been angry I’d think, but no she was extremely upset.

Your case has brought to mind that abuse is not merely something that can be physical. It can be emotional, psychological, financial and spiritual. Culturally we just think of it as being physical. How many are out there, both men and women, who are being psychologically and emotionally abused? No, physical signs that show red flags. This abuse can seem invisible unless someone is brave to speak up.

I hope your case will open the door to more conversations about DV and how as a society we can become more aware of the signs. You won’t have died in vain. Thankful your parents are working to help others escape it.

Book Review · Books

Why I Never Finished My Dissertation

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Poetry is a language I speak fluently. Even though I love to express myself in this medium, I rarely read other’s poems. I’m glad I chose to. Why I Never Finished My Dissertation, is a slim volume of poetry that grabs you by the collar to make sure you are fully immersing yourself in the author’s words. Her poems are vivid, joyful, sad, and if nothing else, deep. Just from this collection I can gather that Laura has had a rough life, but that through it all she had crafted a sweet life for herself.

If you love poetry, love memoirs in free verse then you will want a copy of this book of poetry. After finishing this book I want to go hunt down Laura’s other books of poetry. She is talented and inspiring.

I received my complimentary copy of Why I Never Finished My Dissertation by Laura Foley from TLC Book Tours and the author. The views are mine and my own choice. This book was intriguing.

Book Review · Books

Always Yours, Bee

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Bee and James had the perfect life with their three boys. That is, until the day James insisted on biking to work on a very rainy day. That choice ends in an accident. Bee blames herself as she was focusing on hearing back from her book agent. She did offer to drive her husband, but of course he insisted he’d be fine. James survives, but the mental aftermath is ugly.

What is it like to suffer a TBI (traumatic brain injury) and PTSD? What is it like to care for the love of your life who can’t recall their psst and know they are supposed to love you, but it feels brand new to them? Bee has to deal with these changes in James. She gets so wrapped up in helping her husband, Bee doesn’t realize her own depth of trauma. Follow Bee and James on their journey to work through recovering from Jame’s accident.

This memoir is intense, gripping, emotionally draining, insightful, mesmerizing, and hard to put down. I’ve never read Mia Hayes before, but after reading this gut wrenching memoir of hers, I want to read her other books.

I received my complimentary digital copy of Always Yours, Bee by Mia Hayes from Finn Star, care of NetGalley. The views expressed are mine and of my own choice. Thank you NetGalley for always providing memoirs that become all time favorites. This is one of them. I can’t wait to grab a copy when it comes out. Thank you Mrs. Hayes for opening your heart and past, so that others could see there is hope on the darkest of nights.

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All About Us

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What would you do if you could go back in time to choose a different path than the one you are currently on? Ben gets his chance in: All About Us. It’s Christmas Eve and he’s in a rut. His wife, Daphne is off at her work Christmas party. He declines to go so, he can stay home and decorate their tree. Instead he’s off to the pub to see his best friend Harv. At the pub he meets a watch salesman who gifts him a watch. This stranger asks Ben if there was anything in his life he’d like to do over. Welcome to Ben’s adventure to find out just what that entails.

This novel is fast paced, gripping, emotional, thought provoking, and sobering. I couldn’t put it down. This book is fiction, but the essence of the story brings home so much on a personal level. You can’t read this novel and not think about your own life and all you’ve gone through to be at where you are at currently. If you love a Christmas Carol then you may enjoy this story. I have never read this classic Christmas tale, but I just might after reading this novel.

I received my complimentary copy of All About Us by Tom Ellen from HarperCollins, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are mine and of my own choice. Thank you for the opportunity to get to read such a powerful book.

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The Grown Woman’s Guide To Online Dating

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Dating in this day and age is plain weird. If you are a Christian woman wading through the different dating apps out there, trying to figure out how do they work, are there any good men left, then this short book may be just right for you. If you aren’t straight, then this book isn’t written for you in mind, but the different nuggets within this book’s pages just may help you as well (just substitute gender, etc.).

The author goes through the joys, pitfalls and lessons she’s learned through online dating. Each section tackles a different topic. If you aren’t sure how to compose a profile, then Miss Starbuck will give you examples and also, provide examples of things not to put in your profile. She does interject some faith points throughout her book and quotes by different people. The author also, tackles ways to detect fake profiles and how to be savvy with friend zoning dates that don’t make the potential forever cut.

I was expecting this book to be more heavy on the faith aspect, but honestly it was more faith light. One of the quotes given at the start of a chapter was by Marianne Williamson, which surprised me since she promotes A Course In Miracles. But I know a lot of believers are more progressive than traditional. I can relate to that.

I received my complimentary copy of The Grown Woman’s Guide To Online Dating by Margot Starbuck from Thomas Nelson, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are mine and my own choice.

Book Review · Books

Let The Willows Weep

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What’s it like to have your own mother hate you? Birddog knows. Her mother always favored her older brother, Denny and other brother, Caul. The one solace she has is her dear father. He’s a miner who works hard, but shows love even harder, giving Birddog the sense of safety her mother won’t. Thankfully her brother, Denny is her protector and one of her best friends.

When the unthinkable happens to their father, Denny is forced to grow up sooner than he’d probably like. The challenge is he gets the same kind of work his father did. This doesn’t go over well with their mother. With miner work comes the comfort of the bottle and Denny starts to pull away from Birddog.

Birddog try’s her best to warm up to her mother, but any praise from her is fleeting, often filled with caustic words. After she doesn’t have the safety of her father, Birddog gets sick and the local town doctor asks her mother to comfort her. There is no comfort provided in their shared grief. Birddog’s mother’s hate just seems to gather more intensity like a storm brewing.

One day while visiting her father’s grave she happens upon Samuel and Dig. They both befriend her. Samuel is the local caretaker of the cemetery. Dig is his special needs younger brother with a heart of gold. Dig gives Birddog a new nickname. Daisy Girl. Daisys are the flower of choice for her father’s grave. The new nickname is a pleasant change. While getting to know Samuel her broken heart begins to heal. Will Birddog ever discover a love of her own?

This novel is lyrical, gut wrenching and powerful. I can’t fathom my parents hating me as deeply as Birddog’s mother does her. She’s a tomboy while her mother is all about appearance and the finer things in life. As soon as I started this novel I was transported back in time, when your station in life isn’t always easy to move on up from.

I received my complimentary digital copy of Let The Willows Weep by Sherry Parnell from TLC Book Tours and the author. The views are of my own accord and at will. Go grab a gorgeous copy off Amazon and to connect with the author, check out her website. This novel is a top favorite of mine this year. If you’ve also, read this novel I would love to discuss it.

Book Review · Books

You And Me And Us

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What would you do if you were given terminal news? Tommy Whistler has this quandary. Of course his significant other, Alexis wants him to fight his illness the best he can, to give him more time with her and their daughter, CeCe. Tommy prefers to have quality over quantity. What’s the point of prolonging the end result if you are too, sick to enjoy time with your loved ones? With time ticking he decides he wants to spend his last few months in his hometown.

Alexis is not thrilled to return to Tommy’s hometown. She doesn’t want to risk his past coming back into their lives, or giving their daughter food for thought. The past has to stay the past. Yes, Tommy loves and is committed to Alexis, but there are certain people she doesn’t want to share her family with.

CeCe is mad she’s missing out on acting camp. Just when her high school experience was coming together after participating in their play of, “Romeo and Juliet.” CeCe’s lead costar seems to be smitten with her supposed ‘best friend’ instead of her. Maybe her time away won’t be so awful.

Will Alexis and CeCe put aside their frustrations to help make Tommy’s summer the best it can be? This novel explores what it’s like to deal with a terminal illness and how the choices we make regarding to do treatment or not affects our family members and friends. What would you do if you were in Tommy’s shoes?

I received my complimentary copy of You And Me Snd Us by Allison Hammer from William Morrow, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are of my own choice and mine. This debut novel is a sweet, thought provoking story that will have you wishing you could hug these characters. To go grab a gorgeous copy click here to help support the publisher and to find out more about this fantastic author. Thank you TLC Book Tours for helping me discover another wonderful new favorite author.

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The Years After You

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Lily is in love with her 20 years older boss, Harry. The challenge is that he has a wife, Pippa and two teenage sons. Harry adores Lily and wants to be with her all the time. She doesn’t want him to leave his wife, though she loves when she gets Harry all to herself. When Harry starts to get paranoid and stalk Lily, will she notice this disturbing change in him?

Told between alternating views between Lily, Harry and Pippa you are taken on a tour-de-force of what happens in a marital affair. The author, great niece of Virginia Woolf, Emma Woolf writes with such vividness inside each character’s head that I felt as though I was there witnessing all that happens with Harry and Lily’s office romance.

I received my complimentary copy of The Years After You by Emma Woolf from Amberjack Publishing, care of Smith Publicity. The views are mine and of my own choice. The topics covered in this novel aren’t easy to stomach. The topic of marital affairs isn’t pretty and is down right uncomfortable, but in today’s world life happens. We all make different choices that have consequences beyond our own vantage point.

This novel brings to life the nitty gritty of what happens when flirtation migrates to sex. I highly recommend this novel. It’s a deeper novel than merely being just about an affair, but to find out more you have to go grab a copy. I will definitely be looking out for more novels by Emma Woolf.

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The Painted Castle

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Do you love classic romance? If you do you’ll want to step into the worlds of Elizabeth, Amelia and Keira. The Painted Castle is a multi layered story about three different women and how an old English estate captures their hearts all because of a secret painting of Queen Victoria. Their stories span from the 1800’s to modern times. This novel is romantic and is mysterious in how all three women’s lives are intertwined.

This historical novel tackles different topics from a women’s place in society and how it’s changed, to how money can buy fancy things, but it can’t guarantee genuine love. Elizabeth, Amelia and Keira’s stories are in depth, unique and sweet. This book jumps back and forth between all three lady’s stories, but the end result is a story that will beg to be reread and lent out right away.

I received my complimentary copy of The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron from Thomas Nelson Publishers, care of TLC Book Tours. The views are mine and of my own will. To find out more about the author, check out her website and to get your own gorgeous copy visit Thomas Nelson. This publisher discovers the best authors who churn out the most intriguing novels. Every time I read a novel from Thomas Nelson I’m more impressed then the last book I read from them. Thank you Mrs. Cambron for bringing to life Parham Hill Estate. Once you read this book you’ll want to book your trip to England.

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Intertwined

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If you are a fan of memoirs, this slim gem will become a new favorite. Nurse, Kathleen English, is a mom and a wife. One weekend when her younger son goes on his Boy Scouts trip a tragic event occurs.

After the loss of her middle child, Shawn, Kathleen yearns to have another child, but desires to adopt. Her husband doesn’t seem as on board as her, but tells her it’s her decision. They welcome into the family a Korean infant, Laura. Kathy and Laura bond quickly and she brightens up the household. Her new brothers take to her.

As the years go by Kathy’s husband seems to grow more distance and the older Laura gets the more moody she becomes. Being a moody teenager, Laura runs away countless times. Each time Kathy is able to find her daughter, but wonders what’s causing Laura to want to run.

This memoir is a great story of a mother and daughter who struggle with loss, identity and figuring out how to relate to each other. If you are an adoptee or parent whose adopted a child then this short book will speak to you in countless ways.

I received a complimentary copy of Intertwined by Kathleen English Cadmus from KiCam Projects. The views expressed are my own and unbiased. This memoir is gripping, educational, and a pager turner.