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barbrokatrin's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve read several Erin Zak books before and I really liked “Falling Into Her” and her short story ”Closed-Door Policy“. I will admit to buying this for the beautiful cover and hoping it was as good as the cover.
While this wasn’t a powerful romance it was a good book. I felt that it focused more on the volleyball, the family and the illness than the romance between Lila and Gwen. Which is perfectly fine, I’d just hoped for more romance.. I would have loved more build up and slow burn, more sex scenes and more depth and passion. I felt that we only got to know Lila and Gwen’s romantic relationship on the surface. There’s one sex scene and of course there is the typical blow up around the 80% mark which could have been avoided if they just communicated properly..
All in all , it’s a nice book. Looking forward to read her next one
While this wasn’t a powerful romance it was a good book. I felt that it focused more on the volleyball, the family and the illness than the romance between Lila and Gwen. Which is perfectly fine, I’d just hoped for more romance.. I would have loved more build up and slow burn, more sex scenes and more depth and passion. I felt that we only got to know Lila and Gwen’s romantic relationship on the surface. There’s one sex scene and of course there is the typical blow up around the 80% mark which could have been avoided if they just communicated properly..
All in all , it’s a nice book. Looking forward to read her next one
lezreviewbooks's review
5.0
I have to say that Erin Zak is slowly but surely coming up in the list of my favourite lesfic authors. I like her writing style, the depth of her characters, and the way she builds chemistry in romance. Having said that, I wasn't going to read this novel as I try to avoid drama as the plague. But my friend Jude from Jude in the stars blog recommended it to me and I'm glad I took the plunge.
Gwendolyn Carter is a struggling actress in LA after leaving a small town in Indiana seventeen years prior. She's never been back since due to a bitter conflict with her mother. When her mum is diagnosed with cancer, she goes back home and finds she has been apparently replaced by Lila Machowicz, a beautiful and caring woman who is her mother's best friend. As they initially clashed, Gwen and Lila will eventually find common ground and an undeniable attraction. But can they trust each other despite the family secrets that surround them?
Even though that this is not an easy read, I'm amazed at how Ms. Zak has created a beautiful romance out of a sad and tragic situation. Unfortunately, the author has the experience of losing her mother to the disease and it's incredibly brave of her (and I assume cathartic too) to write about it. Her descriptions of Gwen's mother's deterioration process were done with gentleness but pulling no punches.
All characters feel authentic in their successes and shortcomings, they all seem human and real. The chemistry between the main characters is built slowly but surely and their emotional and romantic connection is a pleasure to read. My only criticism is a last-minute plot twist that didn't feel organic to the story though it's a minor issue and other readers might not care about it.
Overall, a very good romance / drama story dealing with difficult issues around love, death, and family. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Gwendolyn Carter is a struggling actress in LA after leaving a small town in Indiana seventeen years prior. She's never been back since due to a bitter conflict with her mother. When her mum is diagnosed with cancer, she goes back home and finds she has been apparently replaced by Lila Machowicz, a beautiful and caring woman who is her mother's best friend. As they initially clashed, Gwen and Lila will eventually find common ground and an undeniable attraction. But can they trust each other despite the family secrets that surround them?
Even though that this is not an easy read, I'm amazed at how Ms. Zak has created a beautiful romance out of a sad and tragic situation. Unfortunately, the author has the experience of losing her mother to the disease and it's incredibly brave of her (and I assume cathartic too) to write about it. Her descriptions of Gwen's mother's deterioration process were done with gentleness but pulling no punches.
All characters feel authentic in their successes and shortcomings, they all seem human and real. The chemistry between the main characters is built slowly but surely and their emotional and romantic connection is a pleasure to read. My only criticism is a last-minute plot twist that didn't feel organic to the story though it's a minor issue and other readers might not care about it.
Overall, a very good romance / drama story dealing with difficult issues around love, death, and family. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
bookishsappho's review
4.0
4.5*
This book was so much more than I expected. Going into it, I was wary, as the concept of the mother having incurable cancer scared me a lot and I knew it would be a hard-hitting read. But this was so incredible, and the story will stay with me for a long time.
I loved the setting of this book, the sense of community created through the volleyball team and the group of friends was super endearing. I always enjoy books where there is sport incorporated and this one was done flawlessly to ensure that it was a big part of the book but did not overshadow any of the important themes discussed throughout.
Gwen is a really relateable, raw character, and seeing how much she grows from start to finish in this book, I almost felt like a proud mother. She had a lot to overcome in order to learn to forgive people, and the positive therapy representation is always something I'm thankful for in books.
The dynamic between Lila, Gwen and Carol is unlike anything else. I hadn't ever read a book with a familial situation like this before and it truly warmed my heart at points. The sense of support and love that came from this family really drove the story forward.
It was very painful to read this book, I won't lie. Cancer is horrid, and this book makes sure that it is know. While talking about how cancer draws the life out of a person, I was thankful for the few good days that were focused on, and it made it a lot easier to understand all of the character's feelings.
The relationship between Lila and Gwen is ADORABLE. A little odd, sure, but the chemistry is there from before they even meet and being able to see their relationship blossom was such a heart-warming experience.
The ending of this book broke my heart, I rarely cry at books but this one was so beautiful and I cried at multiple points.
Overall, I loved this story, even though it hurt me to read. I think talking about cancer and making sure it's done in an educative way is so important, and there is a lesson to be learnt for everyone within this book somewhere.
This book was so much more than I expected. Going into it, I was wary, as the concept of the mother having incurable cancer scared me a lot and I knew it would be a hard-hitting read. But this was so incredible, and the story will stay with me for a long time.
I loved the setting of this book, the sense of community created through the volleyball team and the group of friends was super endearing. I always enjoy books where there is sport incorporated and this one was done flawlessly to ensure that it was a big part of the book but did not overshadow any of the important themes discussed throughout.
Gwen is a really relateable, raw character, and seeing how much she grows from start to finish in this book, I almost felt like a proud mother. She had a lot to overcome in order to learn to forgive people, and the positive therapy representation is always something I'm thankful for in books.
The dynamic between Lila, Gwen and Carol is unlike anything else. I hadn't ever read a book with a familial situation like this before and it truly warmed my heart at points. The sense of support and love that came from this family really drove the story forward.
It was very painful to read this book, I won't lie. Cancer is horrid, and this book makes sure that it is know. While talking about how cancer draws the life out of a person, I was thankful for the few good days that were focused on, and it made it a lot easier to understand all of the character's feelings.
The relationship between Lila and Gwen is ADORABLE. A little odd, sure, but the chemistry is there from before they even meet and being able to see their relationship blossom was such a heart-warming experience.
The ending of this book broke my heart, I rarely cry at books but this one was so beautiful and I cried at multiple points.
Overall, I loved this story, even though it hurt me to read. I think talking about cancer and making sure it's done in an educative way is so important, and there is a lesson to be learnt for everyone within this book somewhere.
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