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Her Lifeline
Erin has had a crush on her brother’s best friend Ward for as long as she can remember. But eleven years ago he disappeared from their lives—breaking Erin’s trust, and her heart.
When the person they both love most—Erin’s brother Tommy—is nearly killed in a terrible crash, she and Ward are thrown back together for the first time. Their lives couldn’t be further apart. Erin still lives at home, working two jobs and dealing with a series of family disasters. Ward, now a multibillionaire entrepreneur and a household name, seems determined to make amends—but it may just be too little too late. And while Erin can’t deny feeling a spark at the sight of Ward, is it a spark of love or burning resentment?
At odds with one another but forced to share their heartache, have Erin and Ward really drifted apart forever, or have they finally found the anchor they both so desperately need?
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2019
About the author
L.A. Casey
32 books6,160 followersL.A. Casey is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who juggles her time between her mini-me and writing. She was born, raised in Dublin, Ireland, and currently resides in Kildare, Ireland. She enjoys chatting with her readers, who love her humour and Irish accent as much as her books.
Casey's first book, DOMINIC, was independently published in 2014 and became an instant success on Amazon. She is both traditionally and independently published and is represented by Mark Gottlieb from Trident Media Group.
To read more about this author, visit her website at www.lacaseyauthor.com
Casey's first book, DOMINIC, was independently published in 2014 and became an instant success on Amazon. She is both traditionally and independently published and is represented by Mark Gottlieb from Trident Media Group.
To read more about this author, visit her website at www.lacaseyauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 574 reviews
January 24, 2019
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Amazon US * Amazon UK
My feelings for this book are a little all over the place. I did enjoy the overall story and I'm glad that I read it, but I also had issue's with it that made it hard for me to connect to the story and the characters.
I did like Erin and Ward and I thought it was sweet how they were able to fall in love slowly as they're forced together after so many years apart. Ward was a little hard to like at first, because of the way he left in the past, but he grew on me and I came to really enjoy his character. He and Erin had me rooting for them to make it the entire way through the book.
Though I still felt like I was missing pieces of their characters at times and it made it hard to connect. Ward was especially a pretty mysterious character so when some things were revealed about him I was waiting for the story to dive into that more, but it didn't and it made him seem underdeveloped.
The other issue, and honestly my biggest one, was the accents. Oh my lord, my brain was not ready to handle reading Scottish accents like this. The "Dinnae" type things I could just replace in my head as I was reading with the English version of those words. But some phrases still have me scratching my head and it was difficult to read a book where there were times I had no clue what was going on because I didn't know what was being said. And sure, for the most part I could read on and would figure out mostly what a phrase meant by the responses it got or just the context it was said in yet that didn't stop me from kind of losing my reading mojo. It was almost like an interruption to my reading since it would make me pause in confusion.
Overall, I still this this was an interesting story and if you can ignore or understand the Scottish-isms then I definitely recommend giving it a try.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
My feelings for this book are a little all over the place. I did enjoy the overall story and I'm glad that I read it, but I also had issue's with it that made it hard for me to connect to the story and the characters.
I did like Erin and Ward and I thought it was sweet how they were able to fall in love slowly as they're forced together after so many years apart. Ward was a little hard to like at first, because of the way he left in the past, but he grew on me and I came to really enjoy his character. He and Erin had me rooting for them to make it the entire way through the book.
Though I still felt like I was missing pieces of their characters at times and it made it hard to connect. Ward was especially a pretty mysterious character so when some things were revealed about him I was waiting for the story to dive into that more, but it didn't and it made him seem underdeveloped.
The other issue, and honestly my biggest one, was the accents. Oh my lord, my brain was not ready to handle reading Scottish accents like this. The "Dinnae" type things I could just replace in my head as I was reading with the English version of those words. But some phrases still have me scratching my head and it was difficult to read a book where there were times I had no clue what was going on because I didn't know what was being said. And sure, for the most part I could read on and would figure out mostly what a phrase meant by the responses it got or just the context it was said in yet that didn't stop me from kind of losing my reading mojo. It was almost like an interruption to my reading since it would make me pause in confusion.
Overall, I still this this was an interesting story and if you can ignore or understand the Scottish-isms then I definitely recommend giving it a try.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 19, 2018
“ARC provided in exchange for an honest review”
The h had a crush on the H, but then he left her (she was 11 and he was 19 at that time) and then became a millionaire launching an app which was supposed to be his and her brother’s (his friend) idea. But he didn’t gave credit to him. The h hates him.
After eleven years, the h’s brother is in a serious accident. So the H comes back. Then all of a sudden he is helping the h and her family. Taking them to and fro from hospital. Having sleepless nights by staying in the hospital. It was so unbelievable. The h doesn’t make it easy for him. She hates him. She is very rude but eventually she cools down.
Even though the h was just 11 when the H went away, I still felt angry with him. It’s not like they were some childhood sweetheart but still they had some connection. He was 19, which means he was matured enough. He shouldn’t have left his best friend so suddenly. After he went away, he never looked back and turned into a super slut. He left the h when she was begging for him to not go.
I felt bad for the h. She has to go through so much. First her father dies, then the H goes away, then her mother becomes unstable and alcoholic. Then her brother is in serious accident.
The h had a crush on the H, but then he left her (she was 11 and he was 19 at that time) and then became a millionaire launching an app which was supposed to be his and her brother’s (his friend) idea. But he didn’t gave credit to him. The h hates him.
After eleven years, the h’s brother is in a serious accident. So the H comes back. Then all of a sudden he is helping the h and her family. Taking them to and fro from hospital. Having sleepless nights by staying in the hospital. It was so unbelievable. The h doesn’t make it easy for him. She hates him. She is very rude but eventually she cools down.
Even though the h was just 11 when the H went away, I still felt angry with him. It’s not like they were some childhood sweetheart but still they had some connection. He was 19, which means he was matured enough. He shouldn’t have left his best friend so suddenly. After he went away, he never looked back and turned into a super slut. He left the h when she was begging for him to not go.
I felt bad for the h. She has to go through so much. First her father dies, then the H goes away, then her mother becomes unstable and alcoholic. Then her brother is in serious accident.
January 19, 2019
I have read several books by this author and so far I have enjoyed them all...This one is no exception, though I have to say that there were some things that did bother me.
Erin has had a crush on her big brother's friend for some time...though she is eleven so I couldn't really take it too seriously. I had tons of crushes when I was 11, and none of them were to be taken really seriously. So for me, this did not qualify as a "second chance" love story.
The hero is 19 at the time and he leaves her and her brother Tommy (his best friend) behind. I don't think any 19 year old should stay because of an 11-year-old girl...but I did resent him for abandoning his best friend ... He had his reasons, but I still think he should have gone about things differently.
He goes off to make a fortune on an idea that wasn't just his...which is where the hero really pissed me off. I am a big fan of loyalty. Screwing your friend over like that...nope...you are in the doghouse my man !!
Fast forward more than a decade when tragedy strikes and they will come face to face again. I could understand that Erin hated Ward...her loyalty lies with her brother, as it should. She isn't able to hold on to her icy demeanor though...
This was a very nice "brother's best friend" / "enemies to lovers" / story. Lots of drama...even for me. Still, I enjoyed reading it. What I had a problem with were the accents. I love me some Scottish men..I really do and I have been to Scotland 2 times already and plan to go many more. But...there were times I had no idea what was being said... I may like Scotland and it's people, but that doesn't mean I understand what the hell they are saying :P
It took me out of the story a bit. It also sounded very funny in my head...I don't think I did the accent justice !!
Erin has had a crush on her big brother's friend for some time...though she is eleven so I couldn't really take it too seriously. I had tons of crushes when I was 11, and none of them were to be taken really seriously. So for me, this did not qualify as a "second chance" love story.
The hero is 19 at the time and he leaves her and her brother Tommy (his best friend) behind. I don't think any 19 year old should stay because of an 11-year-old girl...but I did resent him for abandoning his best friend ... He had his reasons, but I still think he should have gone about things differently.
He goes off to make a fortune on an idea that wasn't just his...which is where the hero really pissed me off. I am a big fan of loyalty. Screwing your friend over like that...nope...you are in the doghouse my man !!
Fast forward more than a decade when tragedy strikes and they will come face to face again. I could understand that Erin hated Ward...her loyalty lies with her brother, as it should. She isn't able to hold on to her icy demeanor though...
This was a very nice "brother's best friend" / "enemies to lovers" / story. Lots of drama...even for me. Still, I enjoyed reading it. What I had a problem with were the accents. I love me some Scottish men..I really do and I have been to Scotland 2 times already and plan to go many more. But...there were times I had no idea what was being said... I may like Scotland and it's people, but that doesn't mean I understand what the hell they are saying :P
It took me out of the story a bit. It also sounded very funny in my head...I don't think I did the accent justice !!
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February 12, 2019
***4 "My Whisky!!!" stars***
There aren't many books from L.A. Casey that i haven't read and I'm always having such a great time... This book wasn't an exception, with the only difference that this certain book wasn't so funny as the rest of them... It was more deep...
This story was about family, love, loss and how you can fight back to light from the darkness when you are heartbroken, as much as our heroes were...
"Some secrets aren't meant to be kept..."
Eleven years prior, tradegy had hit unexpectendly Erin's family...
She was just eleven years old and her world crumbled down, not only by the loss of her father, but also from Ward's flight... She felt betrayed by him and she told him to never come back...
Eleven years after, Erin is not in the best place... She is busting her ass in two different jobs and she has to deal with her mother and her issues... When her father died, her mother stayed behind, but in a way, she was dead too and Erin had mostly to deal with her... Her only safe heaven was her older brother, Thomas!!!!
And then everything are changing for once again when Tommas gets badly injured in a car accident!!! And then her world is collapsing for once again...
And upon that, Ward is barelling back into their lives and she can not stand it, since she is hating him with every cell on her body... Or doesn't she????
"I didn't want to appear weak in his presence. The last time I was vulnerable around him, he'd broken my heart, and i refused to give him -or anyone else for that matter- the power to ever do it again."
Well, Ward had his own issues when he was a kid... Issues that couldn't share with anyone but his best friend, Thomas. Together, they had plans... And then, Thomas's dad died, and he couldn't change his plans, even if Thomas did!!!
So, he left them all behind and he didn't look back, even though the guilts were eating him inside... But still... He stayed away and he became something big, but maybe the succession wasn't all at his own!!!!
But now, Tommie is badly hurt and he is determined to fix everything and be by the side of the family that once he left behind.... But Erin is fighting him off and she is making it really hard for him... but, he is determined to stay by their side!!!
But it doesn't help one bit that he is drown to his best friend's sister who is hating his guts!!!
"I was nervous, and that surprised me because I rarely got nervous, if ever. Erin got to me though, and I didn't know how to handle the knowledge of that, let alone how to handle her."
Well, this was a lovely story with its ups and downs...
Our heroes were all of them hurt by one thing or another... All of them were breaking my heart...
Erin had to deal with lots of ugly shits and her brother's accident was the worst.... Ward's return wasn't something good for her, because she was hating him and he wasn't trusting him anymore... I totally understood her reasons why she was acting like this, but in a way, she was irrational and hotheaded without reason...
Ward, from the other hand, had also made many mistakes... It wasn't right the way that he abandon the siblings when they were needing him the most and then, he made something that wasn't right.... But then, i understood why he was acting like that and my heart was hurting for his behalf for the reasons he flew away from his life...
Well, i won't say more about those two, but as you can already understand, they will become something more eventually, but the road to reach this point is full of bumps and ugly secrets...
Will they survive the truth???
"Somehow, Ward did what I'd never thought possible.
He'd worked his way back into my life... and I wanted him to stay in it."
"I'm never leavin' you."
I also want to add, that i liked very much Thommas and his lovely son, Aiden...
Their fate was so unfair...
Tommas was a wonderful person in every aspect and i loved the relationship that he was having with Erin... If i had a brother, i wish he was like that...
The aunts were awesome and very kind and for last, i left Erin's mother...
I can understand her pain over her loss, but i accuse her for her choices after her husband's death!!!
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
There aren't many books from L.A. Casey that i haven't read and I'm always having such a great time... This book wasn't an exception, with the only difference that this certain book wasn't so funny as the rest of them... It was more deep...
This story was about family, love, loss and how you can fight back to light from the darkness when you are heartbroken, as much as our heroes were...
"Some secrets aren't meant to be kept..."
Eleven years prior, tradegy had hit unexpectendly Erin's family...
She was just eleven years old and her world crumbled down, not only by the loss of her father, but also from Ward's flight... She felt betrayed by him and she told him to never come back...
Eleven years after, Erin is not in the best place... She is busting her ass in two different jobs and she has to deal with her mother and her issues... When her father died, her mother stayed behind, but in a way, she was dead too and Erin had mostly to deal with her... Her only safe heaven was her older brother, Thomas!!!!
And then everything are changing for once again when Tommas gets badly injured in a car accident!!! And then her world is collapsing for once again...
And upon that, Ward is barelling back into their lives and she can not stand it, since she is hating him with every cell on her body... Or doesn't she????
"I didn't want to appear weak in his presence. The last time I was vulnerable around him, he'd broken my heart, and i refused to give him -or anyone else for that matter- the power to ever do it again."
Well, Ward had his own issues when he was a kid... Issues that couldn't share with anyone but his best friend, Thomas. Together, they had plans... And then, Thomas's dad died, and he couldn't change his plans, even if Thomas did!!!
So, he left them all behind and he didn't look back, even though the guilts were eating him inside... But still... He stayed away and he became something big, but maybe the succession wasn't all at his own!!!!
But now, Tommie is badly hurt and he is determined to fix everything and be by the side of the family that once he left behind.... But Erin is fighting him off and she is making it really hard for him... but, he is determined to stay by their side!!!
But it doesn't help one bit that he is drown to his best friend's sister who is hating his guts!!!
"I was nervous, and that surprised me because I rarely got nervous, if ever. Erin got to me though, and I didn't know how to handle the knowledge of that, let alone how to handle her."
Well, this was a lovely story with its ups and downs...
Our heroes were all of them hurt by one thing or another... All of them were breaking my heart...
Erin had to deal with lots of ugly shits and her brother's accident was the worst.... Ward's return wasn't something good for her, because she was hating him and he wasn't trusting him anymore... I totally understood her reasons why she was acting like this, but in a way, she was irrational and hotheaded without reason...
Ward, from the other hand, had also made many mistakes... It wasn't right the way that he abandon the siblings when they were needing him the most and then, he made something that wasn't right.... But then, i understood why he was acting like that and my heart was hurting for his behalf for the reasons he flew away from his life...
Well, i won't say more about those two, but as you can already understand, they will become something more eventually, but the road to reach this point is full of bumps and ugly secrets...
Will they survive the truth???
"Somehow, Ward did what I'd never thought possible.
He'd worked his way back into my life... and I wanted him to stay in it."
"I'm never leavin' you."
I also want to add, that i liked very much Thommas and his lovely son, Aiden...
Their fate was so unfair...
Tommas was a wonderful person in every aspect and i loved the relationship that he was having with Erin... If i had a brother, i wish he was like that...
The aunts were awesome and very kind and for last, i left Erin's mother...
I can understand her pain over her loss, but i accuse her for her choices after her husband's death!!!
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
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May 28, 2023
RATING: 4 heartbreaking stars to Her Lifeline
‘We were trapped inside a whirlwind night terror that neither of us would wake up from.’
“What does that mean?” Ward asked, an edge to his voice. “What cannae he protect you from?”
Life.’
Before I begin what I’m sure will be a lengthy review I’m going to try my best to interpret my temperamental feelings into something intelligible because I’m experiencing feelings of bitterness with very little sweet just because of how much ‘Her Lifeline’ rocked the boat with it’s varying levels of emotional volume and realistic theme of life’s transience. There isn’t much to laugh about in this book with the storyline lending itself to express the realities of emotional wounds, grief, the consequences of every action and the iniquity of loss itself. ‘Her Lifeline’ is a heartbreaker of a story but it’s a story that’s very real and very heartfelt.
“There is always good that comes out of a bad situation,” Emma suddenly said. “You just have to recognise what parts are good.”…
Eleven long years ago Erin Saunders and her family had a near-perfect life, sharing happiness and love in abundance. But that was equally a day lost in bliss as well as one that would shatter everything their tight unit was. Beginning with a prologue that explores a day in the jovial, endearing life of a Scottish family, everything that was so good lapsed into something that was so bad. Everything changed in an instant for Erin, her 20-year-old brother Tommy and their mother. Roles reversed, anguish entered their home, reality reared it’s ugly head, precedence shifted, plans changed and both Erin and Tommy lost a lot more than a piece of their hearts when they realised their lives and the people in them would never be the same again.
‘I wasn’t taking any moment for granted, because I knew just how quickly a situation could change.’
‘He’d always taught me to never give up on the people you love, even if they make you want to.’
And to make matters worse Tommy’s best friend and comrade in every way - Ward Buckley - abandoned Erin’s family, parting on resentful terms when he walked out of their family home, turned his back on the family who loved him and broke Erin’s faith in him (and much more) in the process. He left at a time when his presence was most necessary, but what they didn’t know was that Ward was running from much more than simply them. But as far as Erin was concerned Ward chose to leave them the moment he walked on and never looked back at the Saunders family.
‘I’d have to move mountains to make it possible, but I was willing to do whatever it took just so she didn’t hate me anymore.
I needed her not to hate me.’
In the present day Erin is 22, working two jobs, paying bills and still slowly watching her alcohol dependent mother drown in a stream of self-destruction. The only light in adaptable Erin’s life is her big brother Tommy and her nephew Aiden. Working hard days are fine for Erin because she knows the dread of dealing with grief at night. Stuck with familial responsibility and dragged down by her mother’s persistence to live during a time that has long since passed, Erin would do a lot for her mum even if she is steadily squeezing any kind of gaiety from her once-loved daughter’s life while she drowns in alcohol’s respite. Erin doesn’t know how much more of this she has the endurance for because endurance has limits and so does a body’s capacity for damage control.
‘If I could keep my brother from experiencing hurt, even if only a tiny bit , I’d move mountains to make it happen.’
‘I found it ironic that the night she became fearful of the dark was the very night she lost herself to it.’
When calamity strikes in Erin’s life for the second time, threatening to take her beloved brother from her, Erin doesn’t know if she can brave this new harrowing chapter of grief when she has already lost so much. But just as Ward Buckley left his friends and family behind without a second thought he barrels back into Tommy’s and Erin’s lives without a second thought too. Ward has decided that it’s time to make amends and repair damages that are long overdue.
“Erin.” Ward frowned. “I’m not a monster.”
“Funny that,” I said, balling my hands into fists. “You’ve been a monster hauntin’ me for a very long time…”
‘...but I couldn’t run away from Erin.
I’d already done that to her before, and I refused to do it again.’
For a man who sees women for their base natures and what they can do for his base needs, Ward Buckley doesn’t care for relationships. But Erin’s value seems worthy of exploring, not just for restoration but because Erin is not the young girl that Ward was once acquainted with. She’s not easy to unravel after the experienced that formed her, a different life might have made her so, but Erin has experienced enough to be anything but simple. There is too much bitter blood between them, and Erin makes it very clear where Ward stands and what she thinks of him. Taken by her sharpness and passion, Ward in return swears that he isn’t his mistakes and isn’t leaving his friend’s side.
“She was shy around me, like a little kitten…but now? She’s a full-grown hellcat.”
“One with a mean bite when it comes to Tommy,” Jesse said with a grin.
“Nothin’ I say will make you believe me,” he said. “My actions will just have to speak louder than my words.”
‘Her Lifeline’ by L.A. Casey makes for persuasive reading because I was glued to the pages of this book, surprised by outcomes and overcome with the sorrow of Erin’s and Ward’s life stories. ‘Her Lifeline’ doesn’t use romance to pedal the story because the romance actually comes second to the main themes expressed within every page: repentance, change and bereavement. Tommy’s life hangs in the balance as everybody latches onto his lifeline, but when life becomes lifeless Ward becomes Erin’s lifeline, and only until further into the story did I realise that Erin was one for him too.
‘She was a good lass, someone who deserved the world and then some, but she wasn’t someone who needed the world.’
They say that the truth shall set you free, and it took Ward a long time to realise that, they say that everything happens for a reason but what reason could possibly justify that loss is reasonable for Erin, they say demons rule which Erin’s mum knows without a shadow of a doubt, they say to follow your dreams, and just as Tommy realised this his life redirected him. They say that the truth hurts and to live every day like it’s your last which is the fundamental deducing of ‘Her Lifeline’.
“Well,” I said. “It’s a good thing I’ve got nothin’ but time.”
“You once said in an interview that time is not a luxury you can afford.”
“Time with you - and for - you is somethin’ I’m making a priority.”
‘Her Lifeline’ made for uncomfortable reading as I experienced a range of upset with all the commotion and unsettling content so I wouldn’t read this if you’re easily triggered. I didn’t appreciate Ward’s character to begin with, but as his life unfolds before the reader his reasons and troubles become too real for the reader to ignore. Ward lives through courage and fear, and Erin has passion for her loved ones but it’s a passion that’s also primed for fire. ‘Preventing Secrets’ is Ward’s charity, keeping them is his forte and Ward is still the sufferer of his own. Time may dilute feelings but anguish will always be present through memories re-lived and feelings that linger and that’s what ‘Her Lifeline’ teaches, but it also teaches to live for those you love; to welcome change however it materialises.
This is not a buoyant read, the Buckley’s and Saunders’s have a grievous journey to face and one would be foolish to go into ‘Her Lifeline’ without a vigilant eye, but one would also be heartless to not feel something. Family are the people you give your heart to for better or for worse, and in return receive a piece for uglier or wholesome.
‘We were tired of living in darkness.
It was times to walk into the light.’
P.S. After reading some reviews I realised that a few people didn’t like the Sottish dialect, but I thought the addition was great, especially because it prompted me to read the book in a Scottish accent for almost the entirely of it …and I felt no shame :D
Trigger Warning: Swearing and one sex scene. This books contains a lot of sensitive content including addiction, child abuse and sexual abuse among coping with grief, death and loss. Also briefly mentions suicide.
‘We were trapped inside a whirlwind night terror that neither of us would wake up from.’
“What does that mean?” Ward asked, an edge to his voice. “What cannae he protect you from?”
Life.’
Before I begin what I’m sure will be a lengthy review I’m going to try my best to interpret my temperamental feelings into something intelligible because I’m experiencing feelings of bitterness with very little sweet just because of how much ‘Her Lifeline’ rocked the boat with it’s varying levels of emotional volume and realistic theme of life’s transience. There isn’t much to laugh about in this book with the storyline lending itself to express the realities of emotional wounds, grief, the consequences of every action and the iniquity of loss itself. ‘Her Lifeline’ is a heartbreaker of a story but it’s a story that’s very real and very heartfelt.
“There is always good that comes out of a bad situation,” Emma suddenly said. “You just have to recognise what parts are good.”…
Eleven long years ago Erin Saunders and her family had a near-perfect life, sharing happiness and love in abundance. But that was equally a day lost in bliss as well as one that would shatter everything their tight unit was. Beginning with a prologue that explores a day in the jovial, endearing life of a Scottish family, everything that was so good lapsed into something that was so bad. Everything changed in an instant for Erin, her 20-year-old brother Tommy and their mother. Roles reversed, anguish entered their home, reality reared it’s ugly head, precedence shifted, plans changed and both Erin and Tommy lost a lot more than a piece of their hearts when they realised their lives and the people in them would never be the same again.
‘I wasn’t taking any moment for granted, because I knew just how quickly a situation could change.’
‘He’d always taught me to never give up on the people you love, even if they make you want to.’
And to make matters worse Tommy’s best friend and comrade in every way - Ward Buckley - abandoned Erin’s family, parting on resentful terms when he walked out of their family home, turned his back on the family who loved him and broke Erin’s faith in him (and much more) in the process. He left at a time when his presence was most necessary, but what they didn’t know was that Ward was running from much more than simply them. But as far as Erin was concerned Ward chose to leave them the moment he walked on and never looked back at the Saunders family.
‘I’d have to move mountains to make it possible, but I was willing to do whatever it took just so she didn’t hate me anymore.
I needed her not to hate me.’
In the present day Erin is 22, working two jobs, paying bills and still slowly watching her alcohol dependent mother drown in a stream of self-destruction. The only light in adaptable Erin’s life is her big brother Tommy and her nephew Aiden. Working hard days are fine for Erin because she knows the dread of dealing with grief at night. Stuck with familial responsibility and dragged down by her mother’s persistence to live during a time that has long since passed, Erin would do a lot for her mum even if she is steadily squeezing any kind of gaiety from her once-loved daughter’s life while she drowns in alcohol’s respite. Erin doesn’t know how much more of this she has the endurance for because endurance has limits and so does a body’s capacity for damage control.
‘If I could keep my brother from experiencing hurt, even if only a tiny bit , I’d move mountains to make it happen.’
‘I found it ironic that the night she became fearful of the dark was the very night she lost herself to it.’
When calamity strikes in Erin’s life for the second time, threatening to take her beloved brother from her, Erin doesn’t know if she can brave this new harrowing chapter of grief when she has already lost so much. But just as Ward Buckley left his friends and family behind without a second thought he barrels back into Tommy’s and Erin’s lives without a second thought too. Ward has decided that it’s time to make amends and repair damages that are long overdue.
“Erin.” Ward frowned. “I’m not a monster.”
“Funny that,” I said, balling my hands into fists. “You’ve been a monster hauntin’ me for a very long time…”
‘...but I couldn’t run away from Erin.
I’d already done that to her before, and I refused to do it again.’
For a man who sees women for their base natures and what they can do for his base needs, Ward Buckley doesn’t care for relationships. But Erin’s value seems worthy of exploring, not just for restoration but because Erin is not the young girl that Ward was once acquainted with. She’s not easy to unravel after the experienced that formed her, a different life might have made her so, but Erin has experienced enough to be anything but simple. There is too much bitter blood between them, and Erin makes it very clear where Ward stands and what she thinks of him. Taken by her sharpness and passion, Ward in return swears that he isn’t his mistakes and isn’t leaving his friend’s side.
“She was shy around me, like a little kitten…but now? She’s a full-grown hellcat.”
“One with a mean bite when it comes to Tommy,” Jesse said with a grin.
“Nothin’ I say will make you believe me,” he said. “My actions will just have to speak louder than my words.”
‘Her Lifeline’ by L.A. Casey makes for persuasive reading because I was glued to the pages of this book, surprised by outcomes and overcome with the sorrow of Erin’s and Ward’s life stories. ‘Her Lifeline’ doesn’t use romance to pedal the story because the romance actually comes second to the main themes expressed within every page: repentance, change and bereavement. Tommy’s life hangs in the balance as everybody latches onto his lifeline, but when life becomes lifeless Ward becomes Erin’s lifeline, and only until further into the story did I realise that Erin was one for him too.
‘She was a good lass, someone who deserved the world and then some, but she wasn’t someone who needed the world.’
They say that the truth shall set you free, and it took Ward a long time to realise that, they say that everything happens for a reason but what reason could possibly justify that loss is reasonable for Erin, they say demons rule which Erin’s mum knows without a shadow of a doubt, they say to follow your dreams, and just as Tommy realised this his life redirected him. They say that the truth hurts and to live every day like it’s your last which is the fundamental deducing of ‘Her Lifeline’.
“Well,” I said. “It’s a good thing I’ve got nothin’ but time.”
“You once said in an interview that time is not a luxury you can afford.”
“Time with you - and for - you is somethin’ I’m making a priority.”
‘Her Lifeline’ made for uncomfortable reading as I experienced a range of upset with all the commotion and unsettling content so I wouldn’t read this if you’re easily triggered. I didn’t appreciate Ward’s character to begin with, but as his life unfolds before the reader his reasons and troubles become too real for the reader to ignore. Ward lives through courage and fear, and Erin has passion for her loved ones but it’s a passion that’s also primed for fire. ‘Preventing Secrets’ is Ward’s charity, keeping them is his forte and Ward is still the sufferer of his own. Time may dilute feelings but anguish will always be present through memories re-lived and feelings that linger and that’s what ‘Her Lifeline’ teaches, but it also teaches to live for those you love; to welcome change however it materialises.
This is not a buoyant read, the Buckley’s and Saunders’s have a grievous journey to face and one would be foolish to go into ‘Her Lifeline’ without a vigilant eye, but one would also be heartless to not feel something. Family are the people you give your heart to for better or for worse, and in return receive a piece for uglier or wholesome.
‘We were tired of living in darkness.
It was times to walk into the light.’
P.S. After reading some reviews I realised that a few people didn’t like the Sottish dialect, but I thought the addition was great, especially because it prompted me to read the book in a Scottish accent for almost the entirely of it …and I felt no shame :D
Trigger Warning: Swearing and one sex scene. This books contains a lot of sensitive content including addiction, child abuse and sexual abuse among coping with grief, death and loss. Also briefly mentions suicide.
April 25, 2022
“We all have an expiration date,” I stressed. “It’s why we have to live every day to the fullest.”
This book was emotionally charged, with so many heartbreaks thrown in one after the other. The way all the characters were perfectly weaved together was so admirable. Every single side characters was significant. The ups and downs they faced felt so real to me and I was getting more and more attached to the characters as the story progressed. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride. Both Erin & Ward are struggling to gather up their shattered lives. They obviously have long burried feelings for each other but is the timing really right for them? The way things turned out in the end was really shocking and it made me cry a lot. The feeling of loss that is portrayed in the book is heartbreaking but do not let that deter you. If you have lost someone close or you want to understand what a person goes through when he loses someone, you should definitely read this book because the way things are written in a real, raw and honest way is commendable. I'll definitely be reading more of L.A. Casey's work from now onwards!
This book was emotionally charged, with so many heartbreaks thrown in one after the other. The way all the characters were perfectly weaved together was so admirable. Every single side characters was significant. The ups and downs they faced felt so real to me and I was getting more and more attached to the characters as the story progressed. It was one hell of a rollercoaster ride. Both Erin & Ward are struggling to gather up their shattered lives. They obviously have long burried feelings for each other but is the timing really right for them? The way things turned out in the end was really shocking and it made me cry a lot. The feeling of loss that is portrayed in the book is heartbreaking but do not let that deter you. If you have lost someone close or you want to understand what a person goes through when he loses someone, you should definitely read this book because the way things are written in a real, raw and honest way is commendable. I'll definitely be reading more of L.A. Casey's work from now onwards!
December 23, 2018
When I saw this was a childhood crush all grown up and her brother's bestie, I was all over this. I love it when they have a shared history. I settled in for a good read.
Sadly, it didn't really work for me.
Erin's brother's bestie - Ward - moved away when she was 11 and he's done well, becoming a gazillionaire complete with faithful manservant and steady yet reassuringly unfanciable female sidekick at the end of his phone. He's got himself a fiancee but all is not what it seems. Meanwhile Erin is still living in Scotland, caring for her mum and working two crappy jobs to support herself.
Did I mention the characters are Scots? I cannot lie, I can't be doing with lots of dialect where it slows down my reading and forces me to try to figure out wtf someone's saying and boy was there a lot in this. I get that it's there to be authentic, but literally every conversation included a 'dinnae' or a 'ken' or an 'aye'. And they were the bits I understood. How about: “Haud yer wheesht.” Or "Please dinnae fash yersel with me.” Or “What’s fur ye’ll not go by ye?”
*scratches head*
The impenetrable dialect grated why nerves and yanked me out of the story, and because it was so frequent, it really ruined my enjoyment of this book. So, if there was good tension between Ward and Erin I missed it because I was too distracted grinding my teeth at the dialect.
Aside from my issues with the dialect, there was a huge amount going on in this, much of it emotional drama, and pretty powerful at that, so it wasn't a total dud. Have some tissues handy though, jeez it's a sad one.
If you're after an emotional read with lots of drama and you like some authentic dialect then you'll love this I'm sure.
**Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc.**
Sadly, it didn't really work for me.
Erin's brother's bestie - Ward - moved away when she was 11 and he's done well, becoming a gazillionaire complete with faithful manservant and steady yet reassuringly unfanciable female sidekick at the end of his phone. He's got himself a fiancee but all is not what it seems. Meanwhile Erin is still living in Scotland, caring for her mum and working two crappy jobs to support herself.
Did I mention the characters are Scots? I cannot lie, I can't be doing with lots of dialect where it slows down my reading and forces me to try to figure out wtf someone's saying and boy was there a lot in this. I get that it's there to be authentic, but literally every conversation included a 'dinnae' or a 'ken' or an 'aye'. And they were the bits I understood. How about: “Haud yer wheesht.” Or "Please dinnae fash yersel with me.” Or “What’s fur ye’ll not go by ye?”
*scratches head*
The impenetrable dialect grated why nerves and yanked me out of the story, and because it was so frequent, it really ruined my enjoyment of this book. So, if there was good tension between Ward and Erin I missed it because I was too distracted grinding my teeth at the dialect.
Aside from my issues with the dialect, there was a huge amount going on in this, much of it emotional drama, and pretty powerful at that, so it wasn't a total dud. Have some tissues handy though, jeez it's a sad one.
If you're after an emotional read with lots of drama and you like some authentic dialect then you'll love this I'm sure.
**Thanks to the publisher via netgalley for the arc.**
January 25, 2019
Her Lifeline is a highly emotional read and not your typical 'I love my brother's best friend' romance. It is full of pain and loss, bitterness and dread, and chock full of heart.
Erin (11) has a huge crush on her brother's best friend, Ward (19). When tragedy strikes, Ward leaves without a backward glance. Reeling from pain and destruction, Erin builds up walls and comes to resent and hate Ward, while he makes a big name for himself, earning fame and fortune and forgetting those he left behind. Or so it seems. When tragedy strikes again, over 10 years later, Ward comes back to face what he's done and hopefully he can mend what he's broken.
If I were to sum up this read with one word, it would be nice. Erin caused plenty of drama and definitely kept things interesting. I wasn't completely sold on the grand love affair that was Erin + Ward, but I understood what the author was trying to do. It just happened to miss its mark with me. A part of me was disappointed that the last tragedy occurred. I didn't get why it was necessary because it didn't do anything for the plot, nor did it further any character development. It was just one more painful event in a series of painful events.
I loved the Scottish elements of this story. I couldn't get enough of the brogue of the characters. I really need to find more reads with such sexy accents.
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Erin (11) has a huge crush on her brother's best friend, Ward (19). When tragedy strikes, Ward leaves without a backward glance. Reeling from pain and destruction, Erin builds up walls and comes to resent and hate Ward, while he makes a big name for himself, earning fame and fortune and forgetting those he left behind. Or so it seems. When tragedy strikes again, over 10 years later, Ward comes back to face what he's done and hopefully he can mend what he's broken.
If I were to sum up this read with one word, it would be nice. Erin caused plenty of drama and definitely kept things interesting. I wasn't completely sold on the grand love affair that was Erin + Ward, but I understood what the author was trying to do. It just happened to miss its mark with me. A part of me was disappointed that the last tragedy occurred. I didn't get why it was necessary because it didn't do anything for the plot, nor did it further any character development. It was just one more painful event in a series of painful events.
I loved the Scottish elements of this story. I couldn't get enough of the brogue of the characters. I really need to find more reads with such sexy accents.
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January 28, 2020
I am so confused about this book. My feeling about it is all over the place.
This is the first read by this author for me.
It is a very emotional book that has some things that may be triggering for some while other readers don't want to read about it-
I can0t rate it lower as much I disliked some of the things it is still an okay book.
Also - Scotland!!!
This is the first read by this author for me.
It is a very emotional book that has some things that may be triggering for some while other readers don't want to read about it-
I can0t rate it lower as much I disliked some of the things it is still an okay book.
Also - Scotland!!!
January 6, 2020
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Il destino del nostro amore è un libro che seppur dalla trama sembra una storia abbastanza semplice in realtà non lo è perché racchiude al suo interno tante emozioni forti, tanti insegnamenti e tanto dolore. Una storia che ci parla della vita, delle occasioni perdute e delle seconde possibilità, ma anche dell’amore e dell’odio, dell’amicizia e dell’amarezza, del dolore e della perdita. Erin è la protagonista femminile che colpisce già dal primo istante per il suo carattere amabile, per la sua dolcezza e la sua voglia di vivere, fin quando la sua vita viene distrutta da una terribile perdita che la devasta e che la fa cambiare completamente. Una perdita che per anni la porta a sopportare e a vedere inerme ciò che accade a chi non riesce ad affrontare il dolore, a chi non riesce a trovare conforto se non nella disperazione più buia e a chi si lascia andare, giorno dopo giorno, senza combattere. Lei però è una combattente, una che piange e si dispera ma che lotta e non si arrende mai, una bambina che cresce in fretta per diventare una vera donna forte e determinata con tante responsabilità sulle spalle, che però travolta dal dolore e dallo sconforto costruisce muri e arriva ad odiare Ward. Ward è un personaggio maschile coraggioso e forte, - un protagonista di bell’aspetto come piace a noi lettrici di rosa che attira donne -, che decide di mollare tutto per inseguire il suo sogno, guadagnando fama e fortuna e dimenticando quelli che ha lasciato alle spalle, in particolare il suo migliore amico Tommy e la sorellina di quest’ultimo, Erin. La sua nuova vita è perfetta, il suo lavoro è quello per cui ha sempre lavorato e ha dato il massimo, ma tutto questo è una maschera che indossa per anni perché nessuno sa quello che ha dentro, nessuno conosce il dolore che ha provato durante l’infanzia, nessuno è a conoscenza delle crepe della sua anima. O almeno così sembra fin quando la tragedia colpisce di nuovo la vita di Erin, a causa di un incidente stradale in cui viene coinvolto Tommy, e Ward torna ad affrontare ciò che ha lasciato e le scelte che ha compiuto, sperando di riparare ciò che ha rotto in mille pezzi. Devo ammettere che a differenza degli altri libri della Casey in cui si ride e ci si diverte, questo è più profondo e intenso. Sicuramente Erin è il personaggio che mantiene la storia interessante a causa della drammaticità della sua vita, anche se comunque siamo incuriositi da Ward, dalla sua infanzia che ci fa conoscere lentamente e dalle scelte che ha compiuto. Una dei temi più importanti di questa storia è quello della famiglia. Quante volte ci siamo sentiti protetti all’interno di un nucleo familiare? Quanti hanno saputo contare sui propri fratelli o su un amico? L’autrice evidenzia il rapporto fraterno tra Erin e Tommy, ci fa amare questo legame così forte che con la perdita della persona più cara si rafforza ancora di più e diventa qualcosa di indistruttibile. Ho sentito ogni emozione che i due protagonisti nella storia provano, si viene travolti da questa intensità che l’autrice riesce a descrivere perfettamente senza affrettare nulla ma dando il tempo ad ogni evento di lasciare la propria impronta nella vita dei due protagonisti. Ogni momento della storia è una montagna russa di sensazioni e di emozioni, di momenti rubati, di lacrime amare e nuovi inizi.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
Il destino del nostro amore è un libro che seppur dalla trama sembra una storia abbastanza semplice in realtà non lo è perché racchiude al suo interno tante emozioni forti, tanti insegnamenti e tanto dolore. Una storia che ci parla della vita, delle occasioni perdute e delle seconde possibilità, ma anche dell’amore e dell’odio, dell’amicizia e dell’amarezza, del dolore e della perdita. Erin è la protagonista femminile che colpisce già dal primo istante per il suo carattere amabile, per la sua dolcezza e la sua voglia di vivere, fin quando la sua vita viene distrutta da una terribile perdita che la devasta e che la fa cambiare completamente. Una perdita che per anni la porta a sopportare e a vedere inerme ciò che accade a chi non riesce ad affrontare il dolore, a chi non riesce a trovare conforto se non nella disperazione più buia e a chi si lascia andare, giorno dopo giorno, senza combattere. Lei però è una combattente, una che piange e si dispera ma che lotta e non si arrende mai, una bambina che cresce in fretta per diventare una vera donna forte e determinata con tante responsabilità sulle spalle, che però travolta dal dolore e dallo sconforto costruisce muri e arriva ad odiare Ward. Ward è un personaggio maschile coraggioso e forte, - un protagonista di bell’aspetto come piace a noi lettrici di rosa che attira donne -, che decide di mollare tutto per inseguire il suo sogno, guadagnando fama e fortuna e dimenticando quelli che ha lasciato alle spalle, in particolare il suo migliore amico Tommy e la sorellina di quest’ultimo, Erin. La sua nuova vita è perfetta, il suo lavoro è quello per cui ha sempre lavorato e ha dato il massimo, ma tutto questo è una maschera che indossa per anni perché nessuno sa quello che ha dentro, nessuno conosce il dolore che ha provato durante l’infanzia, nessuno è a conoscenza delle crepe della sua anima. O almeno così sembra fin quando la tragedia colpisce di nuovo la vita di Erin, a causa di un incidente stradale in cui viene coinvolto Tommy, e Ward torna ad affrontare ciò che ha lasciato e le scelte che ha compiuto, sperando di riparare ciò che ha rotto in mille pezzi. Devo ammettere che a differenza degli altri libri della Casey in cui si ride e ci si diverte, questo è più profondo e intenso. Sicuramente Erin è il personaggio che mantiene la storia interessante a causa della drammaticità della sua vita, anche se comunque siamo incuriositi da Ward, dalla sua infanzia che ci fa conoscere lentamente e dalle scelte che ha compiuto. Una dei temi più importanti di questa storia è quello della famiglia. Quante volte ci siamo sentiti protetti all’interno di un nucleo familiare? Quanti hanno saputo contare sui propri fratelli o su un amico? L’autrice evidenzia il rapporto fraterno tra Erin e Tommy, ci fa amare questo legame così forte che con la perdita della persona più cara si rafforza ancora di più e diventa qualcosa di indistruttibile. Ho sentito ogni emozione che i due protagonisti nella storia provano, si viene travolti da questa intensità che l’autrice riesce a descrivere perfettamente senza affrettare nulla ma dando il tempo ad ogni evento di lasciare la propria impronta nella vita dei due protagonisti. Ogni momento della storia è una montagna russa di sensazioni e di emozioni, di momenti rubati, di lacrime amare e nuovi inizi.
CONTINUA SUL NOSTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
January 29, 2019
I’m pissed and I wish I never read this book. First off the blurb is very misleading and I feel there should have been a trigger warning of some kind. If you can think of anything sad it was probably in this book with a cringe sex scene and some insta-lust.
This book is about 300 pages and in that time the heroines father dies when she’s 11 in a car accident and then her Mom becomes an alcoholic and she has to take care of her at 2 am while she’s vomiting. Then when she’s 22, her brother and best friend to the hero also gets in a bad accident where he has a TBI and is in a coma for weeks. But wait there’s more, hero comes back to Scotland to take care of his best friend and makes amends with heroine after she’s hates him for about 50% of the book for leaving them to go to University when they found out their Dad died...but he had his reasons which we find out towards the end of the book it’s because his stepmom was emotionally, physically and sexually abusing him!! There’s even a little description of how she did when hero confronts her. Also, hero is engaged when he sleeps with heroine but it’s ok because said fiancé is a gold digger and blackmailing him to marry her and have a baby with her so she can get money all the time. Then the heroines brother wakes up from coma and I’m happy because wtf I didn’t sign up for this much death and then he just dies out of the blue. He has a young son that they have to explain to him his Dad is dead. After that I was out, I did not care for any kind of epilogue considering how I didn’t feel nor read about their romance. I mean how could you when you’ve got so much devastating shit going on. The dialogue was so bad and cringeworthy. There was also so many weird mundane details that didn’t need to be written. So yeah read this clusterfuck at your own risk.
This book is about 300 pages and in that time the heroines father dies when she’s 11 in a car accident and then her Mom becomes an alcoholic and she has to take care of her at 2 am while she’s vomiting. Then when she’s 22, her brother and best friend to the hero also gets in a bad accident where he has a TBI and is in a coma for weeks. But wait there’s more, hero comes back to Scotland to take care of his best friend and makes amends with heroine after she’s hates him for about 50% of the book for leaving them to go to University when they found out their Dad died...but he had his reasons which we find out towards the end of the book it’s because his stepmom was emotionally, physically and sexually abusing him!! There’s even a little description of how she did when hero confronts her. Also, hero is engaged when he sleeps with heroine but it’s ok because said fiancé is a gold digger and blackmailing him to marry her and have a baby with her so she can get money all the time. Then the heroines brother wakes up from coma and I’m happy because wtf I didn’t sign up for this much death and then he just dies out of the blue. He has a young son that they have to explain to him his Dad is dead. After that I was out, I did not care for any kind of epilogue considering how I didn’t feel nor read about their romance. I mean how could you when you’ve got so much devastating shit going on. The dialogue was so bad and cringeworthy. There was also so many weird mundane details that didn’t need to be written. So yeah read this clusterfuck at your own risk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2019
Her Lifeline was a stand-alone by LA Casey.
It began in the past with Erin’s POV, then brought us into the present eleven years later. It was emotional. Tragedy struck and changed the tone of the storyline immediately. We then began getting a double POV from both main characters.
Erin Saunders had seen too much tragedy starting when she was eleven years old. She was a fighter and had managed to survive and thrive as much as she could. When another tragedy hit when she was twenty two she was barely hanging on until her childhood crush and her brother’s ex-best friend arrived. She despised him for who he had become and what he had done eleven years ago.
Ward Buckley was a multi billionaire and household name. He had not been home since he was nineteen but after more tragedy hit the Saunders family, it was time to go home and make amends.
Her Lifeline was well written, well developed, complex and full of depth. It was an incredibly emotional and sad book filled with love, loss, heartache and healing. It’s a must read; however, your mood will be crucial in the timing of the read. It had a happy ending, but it was quite a painful journey. Go into it with that understanding and it will ultimately be an enjoyable experience.
It began in the past with Erin’s POV, then brought us into the present eleven years later. It was emotional. Tragedy struck and changed the tone of the storyline immediately. We then began getting a double POV from both main characters.
Erin Saunders had seen too much tragedy starting when she was eleven years old. She was a fighter and had managed to survive and thrive as much as she could. When another tragedy hit when she was twenty two she was barely hanging on until her childhood crush and her brother’s ex-best friend arrived. She despised him for who he had become and what he had done eleven years ago.
Ward Buckley was a multi billionaire and household name. He had not been home since he was nineteen but after more tragedy hit the Saunders family, it was time to go home and make amends.
Her Lifeline was well written, well developed, complex and full of depth. It was an incredibly emotional and sad book filled with love, loss, heartache and healing. It’s a must read; however, your mood will be crucial in the timing of the read. It had a happy ending, but it was quite a painful journey. Go into it with that understanding and it will ultimately be an enjoyable experience.
January 8, 2020
Devo essere schietta e sincera? Ho finito questo libro in piena notte e prima di mettermi a scrivere la recensione ho aspettato un po'. Voglio incolpare gli ormoni di ciò, ma non ho fatto altro che piangere con questa storia e nel momento in cui ho tirato un respiro di sollievo... mi è arrivata la mazzata sui denti. La trama si concentra sulla storia d'amore, che comunque è importante ed è essenziale ma tutto il contorno mi ha distrutta capitolo dopo capitolo. La storia di Erin e Ward ha decisamente tante sfaccettature e nel libro vengono raccontati tutti i fatti cercando di far assimilare al lettore ogni colpo basso subito ma, almeno per me, non è stato semplice. L'autrice ha trattato veramente tanti temi, anche quelli più ostici. Non mi pento della lettura, anche perché nel momento che ho preso il via non sono più riuscita a staccarmi, questo libro non lo dimenticherò facilmente ma so che non lo rileggerò, anche se l'autrice ha fatto un ottimo lavoro.
June 11, 2023
This was ok, it got boring during many parts and it turned out to be super depressing. I'm not a fan of the events that happened towards the end
January 3, 2019
ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
The blurb for this one caught my attention right away and couldn’t wait to jump into this one. I have not read anything up till now by this author so I was also excited to find a new author to read and from the looks of her other books she is a popular one.
I really wanted to love this one, I loved the premise of the storyline and it stared out well but as the story started to progress I had several issues with this book.
First, the writing drove me nuts. The author gives a note at the beginning about this book being written with the dialect for the area it takes place in Scotland. So I was expecting to have parts refer to it the way Scottish people would say it, for example things like “i’m chuffed”. Didn’t know what that means but looked it up and in I went. I didn’t expect things to be written and spelled how they say it not the proper spelling of it. If I had to read one more time things like “I dinnae ken,” I was going to lose my mind. I get this is how it’s pronounced but it’s not how they spell it. I have never seen this before, other than a few small parts when it’s a toddler taking, which is okay in small doses but this was just plain annoying.
Second I get this is fiction but him creating “Friendzone” social media app was just lame . At least come up with a better more creative name. Ward is definitely no Mark Zuckerberg.
Last, when Ward walked out he was 19 and Erin was 11. Now 11 years later his best friend who he hasn’t spoke to since he walked out gets hurt and he gets on a plane and comes back, and has feelings for Erin, who is 8 years younger and was 11 when he lefty. Nope wasn’t feeling it and found it a bit creepy if he had feelings for her before he left.
I tried, I gave it to 50% but I couldn’t keep up with the annoying dialect being written into the story nor could I stay engaged with the story that just kept going down hill. Sadly this one was a DNF for me.
The blurb for this one caught my attention right away and couldn’t wait to jump into this one. I have not read anything up till now by this author so I was also excited to find a new author to read and from the looks of her other books she is a popular one.
I really wanted to love this one, I loved the premise of the storyline and it stared out well but as the story started to progress I had several issues with this book.
First, the writing drove me nuts. The author gives a note at the beginning about this book being written with the dialect for the area it takes place in Scotland. So I was expecting to have parts refer to it the way Scottish people would say it, for example things like “i’m chuffed”. Didn’t know what that means but looked it up and in I went. I didn’t expect things to be written and spelled how they say it not the proper spelling of it. If I had to read one more time things like “I dinnae ken,” I was going to lose my mind. I get this is how it’s pronounced but it’s not how they spell it. I have never seen this before, other than a few small parts when it’s a toddler taking, which is okay in small doses but this was just plain annoying.
Second I get this is fiction but him creating “Friendzone” social media app was just lame . At least come up with a better more creative name. Ward is definitely no Mark Zuckerberg.
Last, when Ward walked out he was 19 and Erin was 11. Now 11 years later his best friend who he hasn’t spoke to since he walked out gets hurt and he gets on a plane and comes back, and has feelings for Erin, who is 8 years younger and was 11 when he lefty. Nope wasn’t feeling it and found it a bit creepy if he had feelings for her before he left.
I tried, I gave it to 50% but I couldn’t keep up with the annoying dialect being written into the story nor could I stay engaged with the story that just kept going down hill. Sadly this one was a DNF for me.
April 23, 2019
Good book
Whoa this was just so much emotions. Ward and Erin had had faced so many things that happened between them but also separately. When Ward returns home after his childhood friend,Tommy, also Erin's brother, is in the hospital things start to come to the surface and the truth comes out. Families are tough at any given day but wow what happens they'd been kept a secret for years and then all the things that happen due to the loss is so heartbreaking but maybe with love for no another things can be fixed or a least they can move forward and try and love for those who are still here.
Whoa this was just so much emotions. Ward and Erin had had faced so many things that happened between them but also separately. When Ward returns home after his childhood friend,Tommy, also Erin's brother, is in the hospital things start to come to the surface and the truth comes out. Families are tough at any given day but wow what happens they'd been kept a secret for years and then all the things that happen due to the loss is so heartbreaking but maybe with love for no another things can be fixed or a least they can move forward and try and love for those who are still here.
January 23, 2019
Whose fantasy is it that the guy who walks away from you (no matter how old you are) wins at life while you stagnate? I do not understand this trope at all.
She's standing still working two jobs while he goes off and "makes" tons of money, sleeps around. What part of this fantasy is attractive?
I'd so much rather see the rejected heroine go out and make tons of money (honestly) and live a fabulous life and then run in to the guy who walked away. Then go from there.
There seems to be precious little of that trope. I know because I keep looking.
She's standing still working two jobs while he goes off and "makes" tons of money, sleeps around. What part of this fantasy is attractive?
I'd so much rather see the rejected heroine go out and make tons of money (honestly) and live a fabulous life and then run in to the guy who walked away. Then go from there.
There seems to be precious little of that trope. I know because I keep looking.
Read
March 28, 2019DNF
Grim, unstable characters having a terrible time and demonstrating extremely poor coping skills.
Grim, unstable characters having a terrible time and demonstrating extremely poor coping skills.
January 4, 2020
Mi piace moltissimo la versione più drammatica della L.A Casey un libro annunciato come un second chance invece è molto di più ❤️ perdono, seconde possibilità, dolore e perdita sono stati talmente amalgamati bene che sono passata dall’odio alla passione, a innamorarmi definitivamente di Erin la protagonista femminile il cui coraggio, il suo amore incontrastato per la sua famiglia e per un uomo che ha odiato per poi perdonarlo e amarlo nel profondo ha dato a questa storia un impronta drammatica passionale e molto tenera . Bello !!
November 4, 2019
3.5
I would have probably DNFed this if it wasn't audio. The narrators were good though. The story had one drama after another and I wanted more relationship time with the couple.
I would have probably DNFed this if it wasn't audio. The narrators were good though. The story had one drama after another and I wanted more relationship time with the couple.
Want to read
January 13, 2019💝
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
💝
Shelved as 'nope'
December 19, 2018There is no way I can like this hero!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 7, 2020
Non sono una grande lettrice di L.A. Casey, infatti la sua precedente serie arrivata in Italia con il titolo “Love” non ha incontrato i miei gusti, forse troppo trash e con un’ironia che non mi ha entusiasmata. Quando invece ho letto la trama di Il Destino del nostro amore mi ci sono buttata a capofitto soprattutto perché si annunciava come un second chance unito a un friends to lovers che sono due generi che mi affascinano quasi sempre. Ma Il Destino del nostro amore ha anche un forte contenuto drammatico che ha dato un tono molto più profondo alla narrazione. Quindi dimenticate di soffrire solo per amore, perché la Casey è riuscita a inserire temi forti che vi spezzeranno a volte il cuore, ma che vi faranno anche ricredere sul vivere ogni giorno come se fosse l’ultimo. Questa storia parla di famiglia, amore, perdita e di come puoi tornare alla luce dall’oscurità quando hai il cuore spezzato, ma soprattutto parla di eroi, di anime che vengono messe a dura prova dalla vita e di come il coraggio, unito all’amore, riescono a essere fondamentali per risalire dal baratro.
“Eravamo stanchi di vivere nell’oscurità. Era tempo di camminare nella luce.”
Erin è una ragazza che si ritrova ad affrontare per la seconda volta una tragedia nella sua vita. Undici anni prima la morte di un padre tanto amato ha segnato per sempre il suo cammino e oggi si ritrova a dover affrontare il dolore dopo un bruttissimo incidente che ha portato suo fratello Tommy in fin di vita. Un tragico evento per cui ancora una volta deve contare solo sulle sue forze per uscirne fuori perché quella famiglia, che undici anni prima riempiva di gioia le sue giornate, è stata messa a dura prova da una madre che si è lasciata andare non accettando la morte del marito, e da conseguenti problemi finanziari, che per sopravvivere, hanno portato Erin a fare due lavori, sacrificando la sua adolescenza e la spensieratezza dei suoi anni. Erin è il personaggio centrale, una combattente, una ragazza che è dovuta crescere in fretta contando molto sul rapporto con suo fratello, il cui legame è stata l’unica finestra in cui poter condividere ogni tipo di gioie e dolori. Dopo undici anni, si ritrova praticamente sola e deve sopportare mal volentieri il ritorno di un grandissimo amico del fratello e per cui lei aveva una cotta segreta, che nello stesso giorno della morte del padre è scomparso senza lasciare più traccia, voltando le spalle a tutta la famiglia. Ward è fuggito dalla Scozia per inseguire un sogno che lo ha portato al successo. Oggi è un multimilionario con una vita organizzata, un uomo bellissimo e affascinante che ha trovato la realizzazione dei suoi sogni tranne l’amore, che ha rinnegato in ogni modo per una triste e tragica adolescenza che ha congelato il suo cuore.
Oggi Erin e Ward si ritrovano ad aver fatto un percorso di vita diverso. Non si conoscono affatto, anzi Erin odia il modo in cui Ward è riuscito a dimenticare la sua famiglia e la tragedia di Tommy è forse l’unico evento che li unisce. Il conforto, che ritrovano insieme nell’affrontare il dolore, sarà un momento in cui riflettere sul bisogno di vivere ogni momento della vita intensamente e soprattutto sul saper perdonare.
“Sei tornato nella mia vita da sole tre settimane e non riesco a immaginarmela senza di te, e non voglio farlo. Rendi tutto migliore.”
Un romanzo che bisogna assaporare pagina per pagina per farsi trasportare e scoprire come la vita a volte è ingrata e come aprire il cuore senza paura di farsi del male è il solo cammino verso la guarigione. Ward ha un segreto che porta come un macigno sopra le spalle, dicono che la verità ti renderà libero, e Ward impiegherà molto tempo a rendersene conto. Dicono che tutto accade per una ragione, ma quale motivo potrebbe giustificare un dolore così grande per una ragazza che ha sacrificato la sua vita per gli altri. Dicono che bisogna vivere per realizzare i propri sogni, ma come può un ragazzo che ha realizzato tutto quello che desiderava credere ancora nei sentimenti quando la sua adolescenza è stata segnata per sempre. Questo è un libro che fa riflettere e vi spezzerà il cuore, ma sarà anche una storia di speranza perché L.A. Casey, insieme al dolore e alla sofferenza, è riuscita a far diventare i suoi protagonisti due eroi che dalle ceneri riescono a risollevarsi trovando il calore in un abbraccio, perdonando e amando ogni attimo insieme della loro vita. Avrei desiderato un maggiore approfondimento nel trattare argomenti importanti che l’autrice a mio avviso ha raccontato solo nel contesto della storia, per avere magari il tempo di una maggiore riflessione.
continua su https://www.vanitiromancebook.com/boo...
“Eravamo stanchi di vivere nell’oscurità. Era tempo di camminare nella luce.”
Erin è una ragazza che si ritrova ad affrontare per la seconda volta una tragedia nella sua vita. Undici anni prima la morte di un padre tanto amato ha segnato per sempre il suo cammino e oggi si ritrova a dover affrontare il dolore dopo un bruttissimo incidente che ha portato suo fratello Tommy in fin di vita. Un tragico evento per cui ancora una volta deve contare solo sulle sue forze per uscirne fuori perché quella famiglia, che undici anni prima riempiva di gioia le sue giornate, è stata messa a dura prova da una madre che si è lasciata andare non accettando la morte del marito, e da conseguenti problemi finanziari, che per sopravvivere, hanno portato Erin a fare due lavori, sacrificando la sua adolescenza e la spensieratezza dei suoi anni. Erin è il personaggio centrale, una combattente, una ragazza che è dovuta crescere in fretta contando molto sul rapporto con suo fratello, il cui legame è stata l’unica finestra in cui poter condividere ogni tipo di gioie e dolori. Dopo undici anni, si ritrova praticamente sola e deve sopportare mal volentieri il ritorno di un grandissimo amico del fratello e per cui lei aveva una cotta segreta, che nello stesso giorno della morte del padre è scomparso senza lasciare più traccia, voltando le spalle a tutta la famiglia. Ward è fuggito dalla Scozia per inseguire un sogno che lo ha portato al successo. Oggi è un multimilionario con una vita organizzata, un uomo bellissimo e affascinante che ha trovato la realizzazione dei suoi sogni tranne l’amore, che ha rinnegato in ogni modo per una triste e tragica adolescenza che ha congelato il suo cuore.
Oggi Erin e Ward si ritrovano ad aver fatto un percorso di vita diverso. Non si conoscono affatto, anzi Erin odia il modo in cui Ward è riuscito a dimenticare la sua famiglia e la tragedia di Tommy è forse l’unico evento che li unisce. Il conforto, che ritrovano insieme nell’affrontare il dolore, sarà un momento in cui riflettere sul bisogno di vivere ogni momento della vita intensamente e soprattutto sul saper perdonare.
“Sei tornato nella mia vita da sole tre settimane e non riesco a immaginarmela senza di te, e non voglio farlo. Rendi tutto migliore.”
Un romanzo che bisogna assaporare pagina per pagina per farsi trasportare e scoprire come la vita a volte è ingrata e come aprire il cuore senza paura di farsi del male è il solo cammino verso la guarigione. Ward ha un segreto che porta come un macigno sopra le spalle, dicono che la verità ti renderà libero, e Ward impiegherà molto tempo a rendersene conto. Dicono che tutto accade per una ragione, ma quale motivo potrebbe giustificare un dolore così grande per una ragazza che ha sacrificato la sua vita per gli altri. Dicono che bisogna vivere per realizzare i propri sogni, ma come può un ragazzo che ha realizzato tutto quello che desiderava credere ancora nei sentimenti quando la sua adolescenza è stata segnata per sempre. Questo è un libro che fa riflettere e vi spezzerà il cuore, ma sarà anche una storia di speranza perché L.A. Casey, insieme al dolore e alla sofferenza, è riuscita a far diventare i suoi protagonisti due eroi che dalle ceneri riescono a risollevarsi trovando il calore in un abbraccio, perdonando e amando ogni attimo insieme della loro vita. Avrei desiderato un maggiore approfondimento nel trattare argomenti importanti che l’autrice a mio avviso ha raccontato solo nel contesto della storia, per avere magari il tempo di una maggiore riflessione.
continua su https://www.vanitiromancebook.com/boo...
January 6, 2020
Vieni a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
Per acquistare il libro clicca qui
2.5
Quando ho letto la trama di questo libro ero convinta si trattasse della solita storia di odio e amore tra i due protagonisti.
Invece mi sbagliavo alla grande.
La storia che ci racconta l’autrice è di tutt’altro genere e lo si apprende già dal prologo.
I protagonisti di questa storia sono Erin e Ward.
Erin all’inizio del racconto è una ragazzina innamorata del migliore amico del fratello Tommy, Ward.
Quest’ultimo, invece, è un diciannovenne pronto a partire per l’università con un grande sogno nel cassetto.
A seguito di un terribile evento la vita di Erin, e di tutta la sua famiglia, viene stravolta e i due protagonisti si perdono di vista per 11 anni.
In questo lasso di tempo la vita di entrambi è cambiata considerevolmente, ma mentre quella di Ward è stata costellata da successi e ricchezza, quella di Erin è stato un susseguirsi di difficoltà e delusioni.
Undici anni che lei ha nutrito di rancore e odio nei confronti di lui. Anche se….
Undici anni dopo i quali Ward cerca di riconquistare la stima e la fiducia di Erin, ma soprattutto cerca di essere il supporto di cui lei ha bisogno nell’ennesima prova che la vita le mette difficoltà.
Continua a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
Per acquistare il libro clicca qui
2.5
Quando ho letto la trama di questo libro ero convinta si trattasse della solita storia di odio e amore tra i due protagonisti.
Invece mi sbagliavo alla grande.
La storia che ci racconta l’autrice è di tutt’altro genere e lo si apprende già dal prologo.
I protagonisti di questa storia sono Erin e Ward.
Erin all’inizio del racconto è una ragazzina innamorata del migliore amico del fratello Tommy, Ward.
Quest’ultimo, invece, è un diciannovenne pronto a partire per l’università con un grande sogno nel cassetto.
A seguito di un terribile evento la vita di Erin, e di tutta la sua famiglia, viene stravolta e i due protagonisti si perdono di vista per 11 anni.
In questo lasso di tempo la vita di entrambi è cambiata considerevolmente, ma mentre quella di Ward è stata costellata da successi e ricchezza, quella di Erin è stato un susseguirsi di difficoltà e delusioni.
Undici anni che lei ha nutrito di rancore e odio nei confronti di lui. Anche se….
Undici anni dopo i quali Ward cerca di riconquistare la stima e la fiducia di Erin, ma soprattutto cerca di essere il supporto di cui lei ha bisogno nell’ennesima prova che la vita le mette difficoltà.
Continua a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
February 5, 2020
"Il destino del nostro amore" è un libro che seppur dalla trama sembra una storia abbastanza semplice in realtà non lo è perché racchiude al suo interno tante emozioni forti, tanti insegnamenti e tanto dolore. Una storia che ci parla della vita, delle occasioni perdute e delle seconde possibilità, ma anche dell’amore e dell’odio, dell’amicizia e dell’amarezza, del dolore e della perdita. La Casey merita di essere letta e apprezzata anche con questa sua nuova storia, non fatevi ingannare dal titolo, perchè non si tratta di una storia semplice e priva di ostacoli, anzi tutt'altro. Personalmente mi sono voluta godere questo romanzo pagina dopo pagina, gustandomelo dall'inizio alla fine anche se ho pianto moltissimo. Una storia che merita di essere letta e amata.
August 19, 2020
Mi ha coinvolta, tenuta incollata per ore ❤️una storia di sofferenza, di abbandoni e presenze ma... La conclusione lascia un gusto amaro nonostante tutto♥️
January 31, 2019
Her Lifeline packs a punch and it hits you with it right from the beginning. The story centers around Erin and Ward. As the story starts out, Erin is eleven and has a crush on her older brother's best friend, Ward. Erin's father is killed and this singular event is pivotal in the decisions they each make and how they go on to live their lives. Tommy decides to stay home instead of leaving for college with Ward. He knows his mother and sister will need him and he has a son that he wants to be around for. Ward leaves and seemingly never looks back.
The story picks up eleven years later when Tommy has been seriously injured in a car accident. Ward, who was informed by his brother that Tommy was injured, shows up at the hospital. Erin has developed a strong hatred for him over the years, for a variety of reasons, and absolutely does not want him there. Over time, Ward wears her down and helps her to see he's not the person she thought he was. There were numerous underlying stories that played to why Ward left, why he didn't disclose information about Tommy's participation with their "idea" that made him all the money, and so forth. I would encourage you to continue reading when you think you want to stop because Ward is an unredeemable jerk. Realize there is a reason for everything he did and in time, the author explains it all.
This story definitely tugged at my heartstrings. There is so much tragedy in Erin's life but she is able to move past it and focus on the beauty.
"I was going to live happily with my family, and cause ripples in the pond that was my life. My reflection would always be changing, and I was perfectly okay with that." -- Her Lifeline by L.A. Casey
A copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story picks up eleven years later when Tommy has been seriously injured in a car accident. Ward, who was informed by his brother that Tommy was injured, shows up at the hospital. Erin has developed a strong hatred for him over the years, for a variety of reasons, and absolutely does not want him there. Over time, Ward wears her down and helps her to see he's not the person she thought he was. There were numerous underlying stories that played to why Ward left, why he didn't disclose information about Tommy's participation with their "idea" that made him all the money, and so forth. I would encourage you to continue reading when you think you want to stop because Ward is an unredeemable jerk. Realize there is a reason for everything he did and in time, the author explains it all.
This story definitely tugged at my heartstrings. There is so much tragedy in Erin's life but she is able to move past it and focus on the beauty.
"I was going to live happily with my family, and cause ripples in the pond that was my life. My reflection would always be changing, and I was perfectly okay with that." -- Her Lifeline by L.A. Casey
A copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2019
OMG
I was so tempted to DNF at 45%!!! I mean what thE hxxx is this bitterness toward the H? I couldn't stand it!!
I mean he went on with His life because yes, you do it at 19..you don't sacrifice your life because your best friend's Dad is dead!! COME ON!!!
And Erin's Bitterness with all the talk "I don't want you near anybody because you hurt us too much, you left us blablabla." YOU'RE NOT HIS ABANDONED WIFE!! HE DID NOT LEAVE YOU WITH TWO.5 KIDS AND WITHOUT A HOUSE!!!
COME ON THIS ANGER AND THE MOTIFS OF THE CHARACTERS WERE SO WEAK I REALLY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE POSITION TOOK BY THEM
I WAS SO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT SEEMED TOTALLY UNBELIAVABLE
________
In a second moment, more calm, I can say that I did not like this book.
It was all too forced for me.
The drama, the fights, the "heavy parts" and all the problems...it was all too much. Maybe if you like Collen Hover or Jessica Sorensen you could like this kind of traumatic events..but I don't know it was not my kind of read and I did not empatized with the characters and their love story.
I was so tempted to DNF at 45%!!! I mean what thE hxxx is this bitterness toward the H? I couldn't stand it!!
I mean he went on with His life because yes, you do it at 19..you don't sacrifice your life because your best friend's Dad is dead!! COME ON!!!
And Erin's Bitterness with all the talk "I don't want you near anybody because you hurt us too much, you left us blablabla." YOU'RE NOT HIS ABANDONED WIFE!! HE DID NOT LEAVE YOU WITH TWO.5 KIDS AND WITHOUT A HOUSE!!!
COME ON THIS ANGER AND THE MOTIFS OF THE CHARACTERS WERE SO WEAK I REALLY COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE POSITION TOOK BY THEM
I WAS SO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE IT SEEMED TOTALLY UNBELIAVABLE
________
In a second moment, more calm, I can say that I did not like this book.
It was all too forced for me.
The drama, the fights, the "heavy parts" and all the problems...it was all too much. Maybe if you like Collen Hover or Jessica Sorensen you could like this kind of traumatic events..but I don't know it was not my kind of read and I did not empatized with the characters and their love story.
Read
December 23, 2018no way
January 8, 2020
CLICCA SULL'IMMAGINE PER LEGGERE LA RECENSIONE COMPLETA:
Non ho letto tutto della Casey, ma molto, se la conoscete un pochino sapete che il suo modo di scrivere è generalmente molto aggressivo e ironico, questo libro è sicuramente diverso dai precedenti e ci dà modo di conoscere un nuovo lato di lei e della sua scrittura.
Questo romanzo è indubbiamente più drammatico, più profondo e sì, anche più intenso. C'è poco spazio per l'ironia e forse è la versione della Casey che preferisco, o forse è semplicemente quello di cui avevo bisogno quando l'ho letto.
Il romanzo inizia con un prologo ambientato nel passato, undici anni prima, quando Erin è ancora una bambina. E' il giorno di San Valentino, e l'autrice ci mostra uno spaccato della vita di Erin. Una vita felice all'interno di una famiglia sana, nella quale tutti si amano. Ahimè, questo purtroppo sarà anche il giorno in cui tutto cambierà, da quel momento in poi nulla sarà più come prima.
Un triste evento infatti muterà la vita di tutti i componenti della famiglia, compresa quella di Ward, il migliore amico di Tommy il fratello di Erin, nonché primissima cotta di una Erin bambina.
Undici anni dopo, Ward riceve una chiamata che lo destabilizza, che non si aspettava e decide di tornare a casa per Tommy, non può abbandonarlo di nuovo. Malgrado debba tornare proprio nel posto che avrebbe voluto continuare a evitare perché gli riporta alla mente troppi ricordi che sarebbe meglio dimenticare.
Lui è l'unico che sembra aver realizzato il suo sogno diventando ricco e famoso a discapito della sua famiglia acquisita e di Tommy che in realtà era più che un amico, praticamente un fratello.
Erin non è affatto contenta del suo ritorno e soprattutto della sua presenza a fianco al fratello, prova tanta rabbia a causa dell'abbandono nel momento del bisogno ma soprattutto a causa di alcune azioni di Ward verso Tommy.
Erin è fantastica, non potrete non amarla. Questa ragazza ha visto il suo mondo sgretolarsi davanti agli occhi diventando un vero incubo ma non si è arresa, ha ancora speranza nel futuro anche se il presente è ancora pieno di ostacoli.
Ward invece lo scopriremo poco per volta, i segreti da svelare sul suo passato sono tanti e inizialmente avremo dei problemi a capire il perché di alcune sue azioni: ha un buon cuore, lo si capisce da subito ma il suo comportamento passato non può non crearci dei dubbi.
La scrittura è accattivante, il ritmo sostenuto e il doppio POV in prima persona come sempre aiuta a entrare in empatia con i protagonisti. Il plot ha un forte impatto emotivo e tutto è ben pensato e questo dà alla storia profondità e realismo. I personaggi, sono tutti ben delineati e convincenti e non solo i protagonisti.
L'interazione tra i due protagonisti è perfetta, muta nel tempo, come è giusto che sia. D'altronde Ward deve recuperare la fiducia di Erin prima di sperare di arrivare al suo cuore.
La Casey non si risparmia, esplorando grossi problemi, purtroppo sempre molto attuali quali: l'alcolismo, l'abuso, la violenza, la manipolazione e il dolore.
Non ho letto tutto della Casey, ma molto, se la conoscete un pochino sapete che il suo modo di scrivere è generalmente molto aggressivo e ironico, questo libro è sicuramente diverso dai precedenti e ci dà modo di conoscere un nuovo lato di lei e della sua scrittura.
Questo romanzo è indubbiamente più drammatico, più profondo e sì, anche più intenso. C'è poco spazio per l'ironia e forse è la versione della Casey che preferisco, o forse è semplicemente quello di cui avevo bisogno quando l'ho letto.
Il romanzo inizia con un prologo ambientato nel passato, undici anni prima, quando Erin è ancora una bambina. E' il giorno di San Valentino, e l'autrice ci mostra uno spaccato della vita di Erin. Una vita felice all'interno di una famiglia sana, nella quale tutti si amano. Ahimè, questo purtroppo sarà anche il giorno in cui tutto cambierà, da quel momento in poi nulla sarà più come prima.
Un triste evento infatti muterà la vita di tutti i componenti della famiglia, compresa quella di Ward, il migliore amico di Tommy il fratello di Erin, nonché primissima cotta di una Erin bambina.
Undici anni dopo, Ward riceve una chiamata che lo destabilizza, che non si aspettava e decide di tornare a casa per Tommy, non può abbandonarlo di nuovo. Malgrado debba tornare proprio nel posto che avrebbe voluto continuare a evitare perché gli riporta alla mente troppi ricordi che sarebbe meglio dimenticare.
Lui è l'unico che sembra aver realizzato il suo sogno diventando ricco e famoso a discapito della sua famiglia acquisita e di Tommy che in realtà era più che un amico, praticamente un fratello.
Erin non è affatto contenta del suo ritorno e soprattutto della sua presenza a fianco al fratello, prova tanta rabbia a causa dell'abbandono nel momento del bisogno ma soprattutto a causa di alcune azioni di Ward verso Tommy.
Erin è fantastica, non potrete non amarla. Questa ragazza ha visto il suo mondo sgretolarsi davanti agli occhi diventando un vero incubo ma non si è arresa, ha ancora speranza nel futuro anche se il presente è ancora pieno di ostacoli.
Ward invece lo scopriremo poco per volta, i segreti da svelare sul suo passato sono tanti e inizialmente avremo dei problemi a capire il perché di alcune sue azioni: ha un buon cuore, lo si capisce da subito ma il suo comportamento passato non può non crearci dei dubbi.
La scrittura è accattivante, il ritmo sostenuto e il doppio POV in prima persona come sempre aiuta a entrare in empatia con i protagonisti. Il plot ha un forte impatto emotivo e tutto è ben pensato e questo dà alla storia profondità e realismo. I personaggi, sono tutti ben delineati e convincenti e non solo i protagonisti.
L'interazione tra i due protagonisti è perfetta, muta nel tempo, come è giusto che sia. D'altronde Ward deve recuperare la fiducia di Erin prima di sperare di arrivare al suo cuore.
La Casey non si risparmia, esplorando grossi problemi, purtroppo sempre molto attuali quali: l'alcolismo, l'abuso, la violenza, la manipolazione e il dolore.
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