Good afternoon Friends and welcome. Thank you for visiting last week for Julie Forester‘s Guest Blog. It was a huge turnout and I’m grateful for your support. Today I’m featuring my review of Michelle Marra‘s ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me‘. This is an intense story told in the first person and has very interesting characters.
Laurel is the protagonist who is fresh out of a breakup and is finding her way as a single woman. She has just graduated from graduate school with a Ph.D. She is very heartbroken and is turned off by romantic love. She covers her pain by diving into her work, as a successful celebrity Psychologist. I admire her for creating the life she has including a book under her belt. The author took us to a few of her book events and they inspired me as an author.
The protagonist portrays many emotions and at one point she has to ask herself, “How much longer do I have to sit in my stuff?” I applaud the author for having her emotionally grow during the story. It is heartbreaking that some people cannot accept things. Right off from the start, she has to face her demons head on and it is something else how she handles them and the drama that follows. I was sitting on the edge of my seat.
A few secondary characters need to be mentioned. Lily is a love interest for Laurel. She is sweet and humble and not demanding at all. She doesn’t play games which I really appreciate. I liked this character and wanted to see more of her.
Sam is Laurel’s ex-girlfriend who has an agenda and continues to tease Laurel throughout the book. She has manipulative motives and tends to take advantage of situations. She plays on other’s emotions.
There is another secondary character whom I felt wasn’t the best support for Laurel and often came off as pushy. You will see what I mean in the book.
Be aware, the book starts off with a bang and the protagonist suffers pain and frustration. I had to find out how this was going to be resolved. I couldn’t wait to see how things unfolded.
There is some coarse language in the story, but it isn’t excessive. Understand the author is using the words to help the reader feel Laurel’s emotions. The story kept me engaged the entire ride. I couldn’t wait to find out what was happening next. I’ll let you decide how you like the ending. Plan to carve out about five hours to read this.
Here is an excerpt to get you started.
“Ah, yes!” I say aloud. Stuff my phone between my legs, put my sunglasses back on my face, suck down as much of this beer as I can, then roll myself to the ramp on the deck which leads to the parking lot.
I have no idea what kind of car she has, and it makes me a little uneasy to think about how I’m going to get in it when I can’t move my legs. But I’m game for anything and determined not to let the chair define me.
When I see her my face lights up, I can feel the heat begin to rise up in my cheeks. She is strutting toward me with a dazzling smile. She looks at me, not the chair and it is refreshing to be seen as me again, Laurel Matthews.
“Hey gorgeous,” Lillian says, “I’m right over here.” She raises her hand pointing a key fob in the direction of her car and disarms it with a click of a button.
My eyes follow her hand to where I see it is a Volkswagen Beetle, blue with two thick white stripes down the center. She presses another button, and I watch as the top begins to fold back.
“Nice car,” I say.
“Thanks, it’s a turbo.”
“Really?”
“I know what you’re thinking,” she says.
“Oh, you do…do you?”
“You’re thinking how a waitress can afford to live at the Village and have a turbo…right?”
I roll myself alongside her, the thought did cross my mind, “Maybe,” I say.
“My father spoils me, but he also makes me work in his restaurant.”
“Oh,” I say. “Well that makes sense, I guess.”
“Will you need help getting in?” “No, I’ll be okay.” I’ve built up quite a bit of upper body strength in the two months Cammie has been my Drill Sergeant and feel confident that I will be able to pull myself into the compact car.
She opens the door for me, I reach for the grab bar while placing my left hand on the passenger seat and transfer myself from the chair to the car with ease. She folds my chair and puts it in the back seat. Two minutes later we are speeding down the highway with the wind whipping our hair and swathing our faces. I couldn’t help but watch her shift the car, and when we stopped at a red light, she showed me why the car was a turbo.
Riding out the gear and causing the wheels to spin, but when it took hold of the road and she dropped it into second gear, I thought we were actually on a jet getting ready for take off. This is turning out to be one of the best days I’ve had since I woke up in that hospital.
It didn’t take long before…
Five stars.
Purchase ‘It’s All Coming Back to Me‘
Thank you for stopping by today. I hope you like the book. Be sure to visit next week when I’ll be presenting something new.
Until, Next Time,
Namaste
Lynn Lawler's Creative Artists' Blog 