Title: Me After You
Author: Mindy Hayes
Published: November 18, 2013
Series: Willowhaven #1
Series: Willowhaven #1
Format Read/Pages: eBook/290
How I Acquired It: Itching for Books
Widowed at twenty-five,
Sawyer Hartwell has no choice but to return to her hometown. Broke and alone,
the intention was to heal and find herself again, but how can she heal in a
place filled with so much sorrow and memories she yearns to forget?
Dean Preston has
regretted leaving Willowhaven since the day he rode off on his motorcycle six
years ago, destroying the only love he had ever known. Returning too late, he's
found small comfort in a new life with Lily, but with Sawyer back he's not sure
of anything anymore.
The time has come for
Sawyer and Dean to face the past, to learn from their mistakes. The road to
healing is paved with old wounds, each one threatening to tear them down
completely. Carrying their own scars close to their hearts, they must both
confront what's gone before or lose their second chance.
The measure of who we are
is what we survive. Who we become is up to us.
~
This is an emotion driven story, about a young woman and her
struggle to move on after multiple heartbreaks in her young life. It is a story
about finding something to live for, when nothing seems worth it. Me After You had me engrossed from the
first few pages and took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions to the very
end.
The beginning really caught my attention; it was very abrupt
and set the tone for the rest of the story. The opening has us at the funeral
of Sawyer’s husband who has been murdered. I had so many questions after the first few
paragraphs, and I was extremely happy to not be left hanging and to receive all
my answers. I was a little mad at Hayes for making me really like the dead husband,
Grayson. Through well placed and timed flashbacks we get to see how he and
Sawyer meet and how their relationship progresses. I knew that I liked him when
he asked her out for “coffee or hot chocolate,” as a non-coffee drinker I find it
is nice to see that others don’t assume everyone drinks coffee.
Most of the characters that Hayes introduces are likable
enough, though they are not without their flaws. I felt strongly for Sawyer and
I can’t imagine all the heartbreak she has had to go through in her 25 years, first
with Dean and then with Grayson. I really think that she was written in a
realistic fashion of a grieving young wife and that, to me, made the story infinitely
better. I did not care for our main characters best friends. They both rubbed
me the wrong way and if I found out my best friend lied to me, even to protect
me, about something as important as what Alix lied to Sawyer about, there would
have been hell to pay.
Dean was tough for me to get behind; he made some terrible
choices, both by leaving Sawyer and then some when she returns. As the story progressed
I found it a bit easier to understand his reasoning for leaving, but I will
probably never understand him not telling her that he has still wants her right
away. I just kept thinking to myself, ‘You know you want her, so tell her!!’
Overall, I really enjoyed the story. In some parts it felt a
little slow and repetitive, but it was worth it in the end. Hayes really
delivers a sweet, yet heartbreaking tale. I would be interested in seeing what
else she has to offer us.
3.5 Stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mindy Hayes grew up in San Diego, California exploring her
interest for singing and playing the piano. She first discovered her passion
for reading when she had to take her first flight alone to South Carolina to
visit her then fiancé. Mindy's love for writing followed shortly after. She and
her husband have now been married for six years and live in Summerville, South
Carolina.
To visit the other stops on Mindy Hayes' Me After You tour check out the tour schedule at Itching for Books.
Thank You to Shane at IFB and Mindy Hayes for a chance to participate in this tour!
No comments:
Post a Comment