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Title:  Labor Day

Author:  Joyce Maynard

Published:  2009 by William Morrow

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

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It was the end of summer and Henry was just happy to be out of the house.  His mother, Adele, doesn’t like to leave the comforts of home, and going out has become a rarity.  They are at the store because Henry has grown and needs new clothes.  Henry is minding his own business reading a magazine when an injured man asks him for help.   He noticed that Henry came in the store with his mother, and he wants them to take him to their house.  Adele agrees.  Turns out, this man, Frank, is a fugitive and on the run, but Adele just takes the news in stride as does Henry.  A relationship ensues between Adele and Frank, but is it for real, or just another part of the fugitive’s plan to escape the law?

Adele is going to be brought up in a lot of book clubs.  Is she a bad mother?  Let’s see, she talks to Henry about things that are definitely inappropriate.  Adele is in dire need for a friend.  And since she only has one kind-of friend/acquaintance, Henry gets to listen to all of Adele’s thoughts some which he shouldn’t be privy too.

What about Henry’s dad?  Should he be the one raising Henry?  Well, Henry’s dad is remarried with a stepson and a new baby.  Henry did try living there, but poor kid just didn’t feel like he belonged in the ‘new’ family.

Back to Adele, what was she thinking bring a bleeding stranger home with her and her son?!?!  Again, she definitely has issues, and you do find out what they are.  She definitely needs companionship in her life.

And what about Frank the fugitive?  I wasn’t sure about him for a while.  Is he the bad guy?  Is he just faking his feelings for Adele?  For Henry?  Well, I guess you’re going to have to read it to find out.

One thing that just wasn’t for me was the style of writing.  The author didn’t use quotation marks at all during conversations between characters.  It was different, but not for me.

As some of you know, this book is now a major motion picture; and I haven’t had the chance to see it yet.   It was definitely a good book, just not life changing or great.  That’s why I gave it three stars.

My Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I purchased this book for myself.*****   

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Title:  Trust Me?

Author:  K.E. Osborn

Published:  2013 by Smashwords

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

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Jenifer works in an administrative position at an auto repair shop.  She is already having a not-so-perfect morning when she gets into a car accident.  Jeni lashes out at the man who rear ends her, gives him her information and then takes off to get to work.  Little does she know that the man she was in the accident with, Aiden, will bring his very expensive car to the auto shop she works at to get it fixed.  Aiden is fixated on getting a date with Jeni and doesn’t let up until she says yes.  Turns out he’s incredibly rich, and he and Jeni fall for one another.  But then Jeni learns that Aiden is being investigated for possible embezzlement, and her trust issues flare up.

This book just didn’t do it for me; amongst other things, it didn’t feel authentic.  I felt as if the story was told instead of shown.  And lots of things just didn’t even feel realistic including the characters.  It was just too forced.

We know that Jenifer has trust issues with guys, but I felt like it barely came up, and when it did she basically talked about it with her roommate; I didn’t feel it from her if that makes sense.

Aiden doesn’t have a great relationship with his father, but again it just seemed too fake, if you will.  So did the grandmother’s conversation with Jeni that happens after Aiden’s father is rude to her.  Nana says,

Darling, you look wonderful tonight.  I am sorry about my ignorant son.  He has become arrogant and downright mean over the years.  Unfortunately, Alistair has become like his own father.  Insults and intimidation seem to be his only way of communication.  It’s not how I would’ve liked him to turn out, but he is his father’s son.  Please take anything he says with a grain of salt, okay, dear?  (Location 2354 of 5657 on kindle)

I don’t know.  If someone said this to me I would think they were reading from a script rather than talking from their heart.

And Aiden’s personal assistant is fired at a family party (I won’t say why, I don’t want to give everything away) and Jeni is nominated to take the position, and does!  His PA is fired, and she decides she’ll take the job, in a total of four pages.  Again, not realistic.

And then, when conflict strikes, Jeni loses it.  I get it, it happens.  It just seemed way too dramatic to me that she would fall into a depression because of what happened instead of getting up and doing something about it.  (Can’t say more; again don’t want to give away the story).

And there were so many I love you love you love you, ahhhh!  I get it!  Show me, don’t tell me.

Although I have a lot of complaints, it was an okay book.  This story was a good idea, just not executed well. Overall I would not recommend.

My Rating:  2 out of 5 stars

~Pam

*****I received this book free from the author, in exchange for an honest review.*****