Beautiful story of love, loss & sacrifice.
357028
Great story, writing was very good, you could not put it down once you started.
1468807
This is a book of breathless beauty and sadness. In other words a book of life & challenges written beautifully. The author leaps gracefully from the beauty of simple things to the deep sadness & angst of her life's story. This author is an artist with words. You feel each moment & emotion in her amazing life.
2921343
Forbidden by author R. R. Banks is beautifully poignant. R. R. Banks takes you on a journey of loss, discovery and courage. This one will not only pull your heartstrings but encourage you to believe in happily ever afters and once upon a times!! Forbidden is a breathtaking view of how much love each one of us, is capable of.
Enjoy!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
2492792
4.5/5 stars

 Damaged Goods is an incredibly beautiful story of love, sacrifice, and opening your heart to new possibilities. I did NOT want to put this book down! I was so engaged in the storyline and I loved the characters Williams has created and developed.

All her life Liv Bennett has wanted nothing more than to leave her hometown behind for good. When she finally gets the chance, she sets out for greener pastures and her goal is to become 'more'. However, Liv has left behind two younger sisters and she checks in with them and sends them financial aid often. Having grown up with a mother who was more interested in drugs than she was her own kids, it's no surprise when Liv gets the call from her sister that their mom has bailed on them and they need her. Leaving her new life behind to take care of the sisters she loves, Liv is dropped back into a world she swore she'd never return to. Liv's sense of duty and her love for her family is what really defines her character. She will do whatever it takes to ensure her sisters are provided for... even if that means taking a job that most people would look down upon.

My heart broke so many times for Liv and her sisters. They are a resilient group that's for sure, but I hate the situation they find themselves in. There's one scene in particular with Liv's sensible sister, Reese that totally choked me up. I can't even imagine living the way they were, and I have to say- if I were in the same position as Liv was, I would've done whatever necessary too.

On top of dealing with her sisters, their drama, and her new job, there is Will Goods to consider. Will is their next door neighbor who takes care of his mother and works on cars. Oh, Will. He is just everything that you could want in a man. He is respectful, kind, and caring. He is incredibly self-sacrificing and puts others needs before his. *Swoooon!* Liv tries to keep her walls up around Will, as she always sworn never to fall for someone that could tie her down to that town. However, these two have a chemistry that just can't be ignored and soon, Liv will have to acknowledge that there's something more between them.

The one thing I had a slight issue was with the twist of the novel. I only say that because not much time had passed where I read a book with a similar type of twist. Even still, it wasn't enough to make me dislike the book. Far from it. I adored this book. Seriously. Nicole's writing style just grabs you, her slow-building relationships will make you swoon, and you can't help but crave more.

I'll conclude here, as I think this is a book you have to experience for yourself. Trust me, you won't regret picking this one up.
4287340
The book was a sweet, well written story of love, loss and sacrifice. It had a very slow start but gets very engaging by the middle. Beautiful imagery in the writing.
2801932
Thank you for this beautiful yet immensely emotional story of life, death and return.  The out-of-body experience was heartwarming and heartwrenching.  The tears I shed were of the love and the rekindling of love of the different characters, those of Cora, Matt and Peter, but especially Sophie and Kirk.  I look forward to reading more of your work.
3130649
A beautiful story of loss, grief, estrangement, forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, and love. The thing I love most about Beth's books is that it's never your typical story line. The characters are real. Haley is a grieving pregnant widow who is trying to re-build her life after the loss of her military husband. She's been taught that her worth is in being able to take care of things herself. She's not doing a great job at it. She's unable to prepare healthy meals during her pregnancy nor is she able to set up the house for a baby. An unexpected, but hauntingly familiar hero emerges in her season of grief to help her heal wounds from her past and present, while she helps him foster forgiveness and reconciliation. I loved the relationship between Haley and Stephan and the unveiling of the inner beauty that each of them possess to help heal the wounds of the others. It's the beauty of God in each of them that draws them closer to God and results in their healing. It's a good reminder that it is God's beauty in each of us that helps us minister to those we have been chosen to help.
2975901
I Highly recommend this beautiful story. A depiction of the soul of what matters our hearts. Love crosses all boundaries
2646740
What a beautiful story about love, loss, and choosing to live again.  The book covers so many aspects of our human existence, particularly facing personal loss or tragedies in our lives that we cannot control.  For most of us who have encountered such difficult times, this story is very relatable.  The story inspires us to accept our new lives and identities, that even though different, can be just as rewarding and fulfilling.  I loved the friendship Seymour had with Renee.  We all need a little Renee (God) in our lives.
3713763
A beautiful story of love, dreams, success, family, loss, heartache, tragedy, healing, strength to continue, a journey to find happiness and learning to love again. Wow, this book is full of emotion! I thoroughly enjoyed this read and recommend it to anyone looking for a story that moves you emotionally.
4125977
Great story of Love lost through Death of a Partner & to find it again with the joy of being given a second chance of a Life Partner after the sudden early death of the first.
3379286
I enjoyed Pam's raw & honest story about love, valor & loss! Her willingness to share so much about her personal journey & Doug's love story made this a heavy and enjoyable read. The wounds of our military include not just the soldiers but the families they so often leave behind, and this story reminds us of that sacrifice with heart, humor & warmth. Though I never met him, a part of me now feels like I know Doug Zembiec & I am certain he will never be forgotten as he lives on in the heart & soul of so many!
1405956
The Soulweaver is a beautifully written story of love and loss, of heartache and fear, of relationships we have with parents, and also between lovers. Heidi Catherine draws us into the concept of our souls inhabiting different people, with different lives, over centuries of time. With each life there are valuable lessons required to learn, to move forward to the next existence. I cannot wait to read the next book of the trilogy.
3972352
One moment in time can affect the lives of so many. Even when we believe our choices and sacrifices are whats best, life, love, and circumstances will fight for the truth.

A beautiful, heartbreaking story of choices made, lives changed, and  love lost.
1894894
So touching, I was immediately drawn into Richard and Giulianna's story. A deeply emotional and loving people, I am moved bt these two damaged people. All the time and distance can't dampen their love. It's a beautiful story as these two come together again. Love this story. This is a voluntary review of an advance reader copy of an advance reader copy.
1638057
As I've come to expect when reading a Colleen Hoover book, you always get more than just a story. You get a unique reading experience. Confess is a beautiful story about love, loss, fate, & second chances. The prologue was absolutely painful to read, and had me doing the ugly cry, but I was completely drawn into the story. After that emotional bomb, I was thankful we fast forward 5 years to present day, where our main heroine, Auburn ends up standing in front of Owen Gentry's gallery called Confess. The gallery is where the story intertwines real confessions from anonymous people with amazing artwork. I can't even explain the profound effect these had on me.  I was moved to tears by some of the confessions, yet horrified by others.  "Sometimes I wonder if being dead would be easier than being his mother"

Auburn and Owen have both suffered incredible losses in their lives, but have managed to survive and keep living. When she meets Owen for the first time, it seems like fate. Little does she know, Owen has a connection to her, and knows exactly who she is.  They are the past and this is the present, and Auburn is somehow both. She would be shocked if she knew how much of her past has affected my present, which is why I won't be sharing the truth with her. Some secrets should never turn into confessions.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he cant seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.

There was true magic in this story. As devestating as Auburn's goodbye to Adam was in the prologue, I was extremely happy with how the ending came full circle. It was proof that fate was there all along lingering in the background and aligning the stars for them. Truly an awe inspiring, amazing read for me.
3586323
Without giving away to much info, I found this book heartbreaking & emotional. I now understand what the other reviewers have commented on in regards to how much can Goldie really deal with, and just when you think she is going to get back up she is knocked down again. Not the sort of book I would read if i was having a bad day but overall a beautiful book about love, dedication and persistence.
I can sort of understand the comments made about Goldie's dismissal of her mothers side of her family and having read the Cindy Eller stories also it is somewhat expected that they would be mentioned in this book. However, I think it has become apparent in both of the series "Goldie Locke & the Were bears" & "Cindy Eller" that Goldie is very much her own character and perhaps wouldn't interact on the same level as Cindy with her family.
I am looking forward to the combined next installment of both of these series and i hope Goldie, in particular can enjoy a more heartwarming adventure.