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A review by samwlabb
Stronger Than Words by Paula Stokes
5.0
Rating: 4.5 stars
Another beautifully told story from Paula Stokes!
Kenzie was 18 years old, and the future she had worked so hard for, was finally within her grasp. But, when she suffers a stroke, her plans seem to be on shaky ground, and now she might lose everything she had worked so hard for.
The book definitely started with some serious heartbreak, but I knew there was no way but up for Mackenzie. She was just a phenomenal character. She had grit, determination, and drive, and I couldn't help but admire her. She had been knocked down before, but she never let it stop her from going after what she wanted, and I knew she would overcome these setbacks as well.
It was a rocky journey, though, but luckily, Mackenzie had a great team behind her. The greatest source of support came in the form of her sister, Cheyenne. She seemed to really understand Kenzie on a different level. She knew when to push and when to retreat, but mostly, she just was there for Kenzie with an open mind and lots of love. A good sibling relationship will always score points with me, and this one, was a great one.
I enjoyed seeing Kenzie make progress with her speech, but I really loved the way her worldview changed. Once upon a time, she was always running towards her goals - go, go, go! The stroke forced her to slow down, and it afforded her time to take a look around and focus on things outside of her goals. She grew to embrace her life changes, and to not just see the stroke as something that robbed her of her speech and mobility, but something that gave her back her close relationship with her sister, as well as introducing her to the animal shelter, where she met Dalton.
Dalton was such a wonderful love interest for Kenzie. He was so kind and patient, and we all know, if animals like someone, they are good people. I appreciated his passion for filmmaking, as well as his adorable interactions with Kenzie.
There's quite a bit of messaging contain within this story, but two stood out for me. I love that idea that as humans, we are messy. We make mistakes and bad choices, but they do not define us. We pay the price, and we are free to move on from there. There was also the idea that no man is an island. It is not a sign of weakness to need or accept help from others. This was a big lesson for Kenzie, but an important one.
Overall: I greatly enjoyed taking this journey with Mackenzie, who faced each challenge that presented itself head-on, and persevered until she conquered it.
* I read a manuscript of this book on SwoonReads, which does not affect my opinion in any way.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
Another beautifully told story from Paula Stokes!
Kenzie was 18 years old, and the future she had worked so hard for, was finally within her grasp. But, when she suffers a stroke, her plans seem to be on shaky ground, and now she might lose everything she had worked so hard for.
The book definitely started with some serious heartbreak, but I knew there was no way but up for Mackenzie. She was just a phenomenal character. She had grit, determination, and drive, and I couldn't help but admire her. She had been knocked down before, but she never let it stop her from going after what she wanted, and I knew she would overcome these setbacks as well.
It was a rocky journey, though, but luckily, Mackenzie had a great team behind her. The greatest source of support came in the form of her sister, Cheyenne. She seemed to really understand Kenzie on a different level. She knew when to push and when to retreat, but mostly, she just was there for Kenzie with an open mind and lots of love. A good sibling relationship will always score points with me, and this one, was a great one.
I enjoyed seeing Kenzie make progress with her speech, but I really loved the way her worldview changed. Once upon a time, she was always running towards her goals - go, go, go! The stroke forced her to slow down, and it afforded her time to take a look around and focus on things outside of her goals. She grew to embrace her life changes, and to not just see the stroke as something that robbed her of her speech and mobility, but something that gave her back her close relationship with her sister, as well as introducing her to the animal shelter, where she met Dalton.
Dalton was such a wonderful love interest for Kenzie. He was so kind and patient, and we all know, if animals like someone, they are good people. I appreciated his passion for filmmaking, as well as his adorable interactions with Kenzie.
There's quite a bit of messaging contain within this story, but two stood out for me. I love that idea that as humans, we are messy. We make mistakes and bad choices, but they do not define us. We pay the price, and we are free to move on from there. There was also the idea that no man is an island. It is not a sign of weakness to need or accept help from others. This was a big lesson for Kenzie, but an important one.
Overall: I greatly enjoyed taking this journey with Mackenzie, who faced each challenge that presented itself head-on, and persevered until she conquered it.
* I read a manuscript of this book on SwoonReads, which does not affect my opinion in any way.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS