This is a wonderful story, and Melissa has written it so well
926223
After all...is any family really without troubles?  This is a wonderful story, and Melissa has written it so well.  Hard to imagine a woman leaving her family and yet when you are done reading you understand the problem.  Without getting maudlin, which would be easy to do when someone is dying, Melissa takes you through the adventure of her life and the explanations for her Mom's actions.  It was one of those books that you hate to see come to an end.  Melissa is the perfect example that you can pull yourself up and have a great life even with uncertainty in your upbringing....I loved the story....loved the book and hope that she continues writing!
4199689
I'm torn on what to feel about this book. The truth is, this is the type of story conflict that I avoid. However, it also felt like it was not really the exact thing that I avoid. I guess because even though it appears that Sarah is at fault, I didn't feel like she's really at fault about it. I didn't even think that I would sympathize with her given that her situation is what my kind of a no-go conflict. I commend the author for writing it so well that even if it's what I usually read, I find that I can't stop reading it either.

Other than that, the story was well written and emotionally gripping. I like how the story flowed and how the characters patched up things in the end. This is definitely a new experience of a Melissa Pearl novel for me.
2363582
Previously reviewed on <a href="http://novelinkblog.com/2015/05/08/arc-review-dear-carolina-by-kristin-woodson-harvey/">Novel Ink </a>.

Do you want to hear a story about love? No, not a story about couples who fall in love and end up in a happily ever aftera story about undeniable love that can stand the test of time. If so, you need to pick up Dear Carolina.

This story is about the love that two mothers have for their child. You may think this would be an LGBT, but nope, thats not it either. This is a beautifully written novel about unconditional love.

You can never have too many people who love you.

Khaki is an amazing women whom has everything going for her. She was such a fun character to read about and her point of view throughout the book was so great. Shes not Carolinas birth mother, but she takes care of Carolina. Khaki is a very strong and ambitious person whom loves with everything she has.

Jodi is Carolinas birth mom who loves her more than words can explain. I would never be able to give up a daughter, which is selfish of me. I think Jodi giving up Carolina was the most unselfish thing in the world. Loving your daughter so much to where you give up the most wonderful thing in your life to make hers better. I definitely connected with Jodi more throughout this book.

The characters are so well done and the two POVs were perfectly written. Kristy is a wonderful author and her writing is impeccable. She does a wonderful job of show-casing what needs to be at attention and letting us know how different the two main characters are. She doesnt out do one or the other, both are very memorable.

This was a very quick, light read that made you smile through it all. Though, there are some tough spots (I mean of course, the issue isn't easy) it was wonderfully written to still keep your heart at ease.

Sooner or later, God drops the people we need the most right into our lives.
2914607
The most wonderful, unique story I've read in a long time...and how it all comes together - amazing.
2390961
I love this story and these characters. This book definitely doesn't feel like a freshman effort. Ashley Hampton gets you involved in the story from page one. Hannah is a strong yet vulnerable woman who is leery of risking her neck and her heart on any man, and Finn has been burned in the past by more than one source. I loved how Ms. Hampton touched on real issues like PTSD, and divorce, and several other topics. They're written with accuracy and sensitivity. I also loved this group of friends who support each other even when someone needs some tough love. These characters are people who I would love to know in real life.
3943368
Nessa has managed to accomplish something that very few authors do for me - leave me wanting more. I have an almost desperate need to know what happens next. I love the characters and the plot. My only complaint is the same as the first book in the series - editing. There are incorrect word choice issues in every chapter. They aren't glaring but they are noticeable. Melissa's work deserves a great editor so that nothing detracts from her wonderful tale
4313697
I enjoyed this story a lot  and thats coming from someone who isn't typically a romance novel reader. A friend recommended the story, and I'm very glad she did so.

The two central characters (Rebecca and Chris) are very compelling. I came to really care about them, and wanted to see them get to spend the rest of their lives together. I also very much enjoyed the Abby character (Rebecca's sister). Her dialogue is extremely memorable and well-written, and she really comes to life. I loved every scene she was in.

I'd add that the Catholic elements of the story are woven into the narrative organically, and are natural parts of who the characters are. I never felt I was being preached to, or that the story was being interrupted for a separate religious message.

I highly recommend "Stay With Me." It's a great read, and one that will stay with you (no pun intended) for a very long time.
1258882
I hadn't read anything by Melissa Collins before but after this one I can say, without a doubt, I am now a huge fan. The story of Shane and Dylan was so touching and even though it broke my heart at the end I am so glad that we, as a reader, got to experience it. Dylan's story would not have been truly complete without it. Then you add in Connor and my heart ached but slowly began to mend.

A truly wonderful tale of how love should be in all of its imperfect and beautiful moments.
1667911
This is the best one, hands down....Hannah and Thom draw you in and keep you wrapped in their world.  The story is full is full of real life events woven into a magical story. I love the interweaving of Jessie, Chase and their family and friends brought back to us seamlessly and the the pivotal role they have in this story is so unusual but so welcome to have a genuine and integral role instead of just a cameo appearance.  This is a rich story with excellent characters that you e ill grow to love.
2275700
If I could give this very outstanding book 20 stars I would !! I so love the way Melissa writes. The stories a clean precious romance, one you can hardly put down. You are pulled in and taken on a wonderful adventure, one you would rather not stop! I love dogs and anything Alaska. Shane was such a wounded man, and Lauren was also just as wonderful. How they came together and became a team was so tender and at time very funny. So entertaining and heart warming. I can hardly wait for the next in this series. I can't seem to get enough! I especially liked the words of Falcon at the end, what an amazing husband, so loving and full of praise!
4216306
A wonderful story woven in a beautiful, descriptive realm. From the start you can see Bethany Adams is taking her time, building her magical eleven world and drawing you in with a tale spun with mystery and intrigue. The premise is one that I would love to read more about in the next books and the characters are realistically flawed, likeable and believable. Adams has created a strong female lead that is independent, well-developed and modern; one that shows bravery and tenacity as she navigates through this new, unknown world. The story is well written and enjoyable.
1283183
Fans of Melissa's will appreciate her story and struggles before and after fame.
4305509
This story is wonderful and so well written that i read it in two nights.

Marley is an amazing dog, and what he teaches the family of the author are lessons we should all be learning. About life and love, and being happy in our own skin. In the end, we can only be ourselves.

You do not have to be dog-lover to appreciate this book. Heck, you don't even have to like animals. This story has more humanity in it than many i've read with only two legged casts.

I'm glad my local library had this featured for our book club this month. This book is a treasure i'll be returning to again and again.
3184502
I am not a big reader of fiction, but this story is beguiling, humorous, and wonderfully refreshing.  The technique is very interesting and took courage, and I agree with other reviewers in that I felt as though I was  ease dropping.  Ms. Cook writes with verve and intelligence and is  respectful of the reader.  I found the book more amusing than side  splitting, but, then again, I am a guy.  I wish there was as much  acceptance of an unfulfilled husband's life as there is a wife's.  Good for  Claire for breaking through with a lovely, well written and developed story  and peculiar characters that are actually believable.
169942
This book was everything I'd hoped it would be, and so much more.

So much a coming of age story and triumph over adversity. It's and age old tale, and as a child (now an adult) from a less than ideal childhood, so much of this really touched me. Morgan is in ways the girl I once was, left facing gifts she doesn't understand, people who want to control her, she rises to meet the courage of her convictions even while people are messing with her life.

She is forced to fight for her future.

This is quite simply an exquisite story and I'm looking forward to more.  I can tell thus is a book I'll read and reread time and again for the pleasure of it.  By all means, start here and enjoy the wonderful writing! You'll be glad you did. I certainly am!
831314
Our main character is Maguire. Shes been through some pretty traumatic stuff and thus has some mental issues that are causing her to become isolated in her social life and in her home life too. Shes seeing a therapist to help with this and I just absolutely loved that we got to read about a good, working relationship with her therapist. We got to follow along in her journey of being suffocated by her mental health issues to seeing how she lives with them. They don't magically get fixed, she just learns ways to utilize what she does to where it doesnt stop her from going out and doing. I think the list was a great way for us to follow along and also because it gave it a sense of time. Things like Maguire was going through won't get fixed right away. This book was wonderful in treating it with the longevity it needed to make it realistic.

I think stories like this are important to have in YA. Its important to have in any book because thoughtful stories need to be told about mental health. But especially in YA where, for example, I could have read this when I was a teen. I hope more stories get told like this. Because it was so good and solid. Did her life instantly get better? No. She had fallbacks. She had miscommunications. Thats just life. But it improved and she learned how to work with the problems she was having to be able to actually live out in the world.

I also loved the character of Jordy. Just know that I think he was great for her and I think it was great to portray guys the way he was portrayed because they're out there! Theyre not all handsome jerks who women have to change in order for them to love the main character. Hes a just a good dude.

Her relationship with her parents. Okay, so one of my biggest problems in reading YA is the absent parents. Im not saying that all kids have parents who are around and there to take care of them all the time, thats totally not true. But Im talking about parents who obviously are decent people and take care of their family. In YA, even those kind of parents always seem to just not give a crap what their kids are doing. Whats going on with them. It was SO REFRESHING to read a story where the parents were there. Sure she got into small disagreements with them, but she talked to her parents. They apologized, she apologized. It was so wonderful to read a story where her parents were part of it all. They weren't just there as like, ghost authority figures. She still did teenager things cause, you know, shes a teenager. But her relationships in her home life were also improved because of her therapy work.

Tangent aside, this long review was justified. This book is really good and I don't think youll be disappointed in picking it up. You should definitely check it out. I feel like going and buying copies and handing them out or leaving them in like airports or on buses or something. Now to try to get over my book hangover with a new book.
4939286
Melissa has a good way of "growing" her characters as the story develops.  I have been using the audio option and have enjoyed the narrator.  Thank you, Melissa!