Sunday 3 November 2013

Review: Sarah Dosher's "Haven from the Storm."

Review: Sarah Dosher's "Haven from the Storm."

~ Review: 2.5 Hearts ~

Amazon UK:      http://amzn.to/GCgQPC
Amazon.com:     http://amzn.to/1hpgwiW

Synopsis:


“If you’re going to make me cry, at least be there to wipe away the tears…”

Most were asleep in their beds the night Lily Grace’s entire world was ripped apart, leaving only darkness and torment in its place. The only remaining person she depended on abandoned her without a second thought…or so that’s what Lily has believed for the past four years.

Dean Haven has returned for one reason—to win Lily’s love again. He’s already broken her heart because of the demons that haunt him. Can his desire for Lily keep him from succumbing to those demons again?

Dean has no idea what awaits him when he tries to fight his way back into Lily’s life. Everything he remembers has changed, including Lily.

Is love enough when you’re forced to weather the storms life has blown your way?

Review: Surj Harvey

I was really disappointed with "Haven from the Storm." You know when you read a synopsis and just have a feeling it's going to be an amazing read.... and then it just isn't... well unfortunately that's what happened in this case. The premise of the story was definitely a good one but the delivery most definitely could have been better. 

Lily Grace's life would never be the same after the storm hit. With her mother and brother gone, the only other person she could count on turned his back on her. Dean Haven... the boy she had loved for as long as she could remember... her brother's best friend walked out of her life when she needed him the most. The next four years for Lily were horrific. She was left to face the wrath of her father, who had spent his whole life taking his anger out on her. But with no one to protect her, she was at his mercy. This man was despicable, pure evil with not an ounce of regret for his actions... the emotional, verbal and physical abuse he inflicted just horrific. Imagine being 18 years old and having to put locks on your bedroom doors just to keep yourself safe from the one man who should be protecting you!!! 
Lily closed herself off from the world:

I knew I'd never lose anyone again because I'd never allow anyone that close again. 
I could protect myself. I had no other choice. 

Her only friends were Grandma Violet and Addy.. both of whom had more or less forced their way into Lily's life despite Lily putting up a fight. Both of these characters were brilliant and Grandma Violet gave just the best advice. 

Four years on and Dean Haven decided to show his ugly mug again... yup this guy decided to return to face his demons but that wasn't going to be as easy as he thought because a lot can happen in four years... lives change and people are destroyed:

"That young lady has been in hell these last four years and you, 
Dean Haven, played a starring role."

And so began his mission to win back his girl... unfortunately that is also the moment the story lost some of it's sparkle. As far as I knew these two had never been a couple, Lily was fourteen and Dean Eighteen when the storm hit and he left. I was given very small insights into their past interactions but definitely not enough for me to think he loved this girl and so when he returned and confessed his feelings, my response... "shit... where did that come from? Did I miss something?" Even as I read through the rest of the book, I still couldn't see where those feelings had come from. I needed more from their pasts... a lot more but it never came which kinda left me a bit detached from the characters and the story line. All of a sudden, I felt like I was missing parts of the puzzle and unfortunately, in some instances, I never found those pieces. 

The path to true love was never going to run smoothly for these two. If it wasn't the guilt both characters harboured, then it was her deranged father and if it wasn't him then it something else. Would these two ever get a lucky break? Uhhhh???? No!!!! 

When Dean's secrets for running were revealed, I was a little disappointed. I wanted there to be more... a lot more but it didn't come. And the incident with the school Councillor and Lily's father towards the end infuriated me because I just wondered whether that would ever happen in real life!!! 

There were a few twists and turns in the story, one surprise I didn't expect but I think my connection had been lost by this point and I couldn't imagine it was going to return but I persisted with the book, determined to finish it which I did. 

There was so much potential for the development of this story but for me, it just didn't come. There were too many gaps that weren't filled and some of the story line just too unrealistic. 
I rated "Haven from the Storm" 2.5 Hearts

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