I’m genuinely happy that this story is resonating with so many readers, but I can’t deny that the romance reader in me is disappointed by the love story. It took a backseat to almost every other component of the story, so I’d define this as women’s fiction more than anything – and that doesn’t really appeal to me. The romance was just so underdeveloped, and the delightfully sweet and loyal hero was only seen on the page for a series of (very) brief interactions here and there. I wanted so much more of them together. I loved the twists and turns of the first act as well as the instant chemistry between our couple, so it started out strong for me. But by the time we’d made our way into the second act (and that tension-diffusing time jump), it was clear that the story was taking a detour that I didn’t love. There’s absolutely an audience for this though, and I loved many of the individual components.
The story follows Soledad, a woman whose marriage seems to be falling apart. Though they’ve been together for half of her life, Soledad is seeing a side of her husband that she doesn’t know or like. So when she discovers that he’s been up to no good, it’s the final straw for Soledad. Her world is crumbling, and she needs to find a way to pick up the pieces – fast. It’s the absolute worst time to feel sparks with someone new, especially Judah in particular. He’s tangled up in the drama surrounding Soledad, and they both know that starting up something now would be a terrible idea. Soledad has to learn how to stand on her own two feet as a newly single woman and mother before she can even consider letting someone else stand by her side.
There’s no denying that Ryan is a talented author; there’s a reason why her books are so beloved. They do tend to have OW drama though, which often makes me reluctant to dive in. So I was extremely happy to discover that was not the case this time – Judah is steady, compassionate, and willing to wait for his girl. I just didn’t like how long Soledad made him wait, lol. Though it’s easy to see the chemistry between them very early in the story, it stays on the back-burner for a long, LONG time and ultimately never reaches its full potential. The setup was so good that I was willing to wait for awhile, but when we’re halfway through the book and the leads have spent such a small amount of time on the page together, I struggle to call it a romance. Soledad rubbed me the wrong way after awhile, and this is very much her story. Quality-wise, this certainly deserves a higher rating, but it’s not a book that I’d read again.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TrICGs
Audio Note:
The audio is great! Ryan’s books tend to have excellent audiobooks, so I decided to experience the story that way, and I’m glad that I did. I loved Ines del Castillo’s performance; she did a fantastic job. I liked Jakobi Diem’s voice quite a bit, though his performance felt stiff to me. Not enough to make me dislike it, but the audio production would’ve been even stronger with smoother delivery. The story is a super slow burn with a little heat, so it’s not a bad choice as a workday listen. Just keep in mind that it can get heavy. The runtime (12 hours) was more than I could get through in a single day, and I’d lost most of my interest in the story between sittings. But I definitely do recommend the format if you’re going to dive in.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3Tvq7AI
Blurb:
Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who’s never met a party she couldn’t host or a charge she couldn’t lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion.
But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She’s too busy keeping a roof over her daughters’ heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.
But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn’t want but can’t seem to resist. She’s lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?
After all she’s lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TrICGs
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author and Audie® Award-winner Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Kennedy and her writings have been featured in NPR, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, Glamour, Cosmo, Ebony, TIME, and many others. The co-founder of LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction, she has a passion for raising Autism awareness. She is a wife to her “lifetime lover” and mother to an extraordinary son.
Find out more, at:
KennedyRyanWrites.com
Facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor
Twitter: @KennedyRWrites
Instagram: @KennedyRyan1
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