Wednesday, 1 July 2015

A Contemporary Review by Diana (RTAnnie)


First of all let me say that this is the first book of author Sophie Moss that I’ve read and I now have a new favorite author.  Get a load of this!

Becca Haddaway is a second grade teacher on a speck of land called Heron Island, a little island with the warmth and depth of a small community.  She’s about to take the big plunge of marriage in two weeks to her teenage sweetheart Tom, a man that shared a traumatic life event with her in the past, therefore they had formed a very close bond with one another.  She’s comfortable with Tom, it’s a romantic notion for her to grow up and marry her long time sweetheart.  But if this is really real, is the bond they share the same thing as love and if so, why is she attracted to another man?  And why does she keep hearing the magical sound of tinkle tinkle twink when she’s around this other man?  What’s up with that?

When Becca learns that Heron Island Elementary School is in the middle of a plot of deceit and revenge on the verge of being shut down she takes matters in her own hands.  This is her town, she grew up here, her mother taught at that school, she went to that school as a child and she’s not going to just get married, move off her beloved island, and let this terrible tragedy happen.  This school is part of the make-up, part of the island’s history and she has to do something.  And, she has to question her true motives about why she is about to marry one man when all she can think about is another.

Colin Foley, an ex Navy Seal and the son of an affluent Senator, after losing part of his leg on a mission gone bad in Afghanistan, is forced out of the military and is trying to come to grips with what he wants out of his life.  After being dumped by his fiancĂ©e because he’s an amputee he has finally found a cause in which to focus his life on.  He wants to open a wounded veteran’s rehab center, to be able to give others like him a purpose to go on living.  One where they can feel needed, to be able to feed their families, to have a goal once again in their torn lives.   When he starts having feelings for an elementary school teacher on the path down the aisle, he has to stop and re-access what he really wants out of life.  He still wants a family, a home, kids, and he loves the small town feeling of Heron Island.  He wants to make this his home but he has to have the right woman.  One that will accept him for who he is, and not show pity for the fact he only has one leg.  He cannot suffer that pain again.


This book is by far one the best books I’ve read in a while.  The characters are down to earth real people with real hardships, hopes and dreams.  The author brings into play the terrible struggle veteran’s have returning stateside after a war, new love, healing of hearts and minds.  The minor as well as the main characters will draw you into their story opening up their lives with all their hearts and souls.  You’ll find humor, deceit, revenge, struggles and love, all the facets of a good solid, well written love story. 

The editing was great no issues at all and the story line is clean, superbly written and get this, NO SEX.  Yep that’s right, a little kissin’ is all you’re going to get out of this book, now isn’t that a hoot and a twist. The book just flows and moves at a good pace, nothing dull about it at all.   And Becca, let me tell you, when she finally gets it together she is a little can of whup ass and believe me I was high fivin’ and rootin’ and clappin for this gal.  Then the next thing I knew I was tearing up, so let me tell you this book has a lot to open up in your mind and I absolutely loved it.  So much so I went right to Amazon and bought the first book of the series.

I most definitely recommend this book to any age of reader.  It’s contemporary and because of the story line I think it would be good for you younger marrying age gals.  You know, open your minds to make sure you know where you’re hopping before you leap.  Read the book and you’ll get my meaning.


I give this book a BIG HUGE five (5) stars.  Now the cover is another topic, one that I can’t honestly say did anything for me at all.  I think the best thing I liked about it was its pink.  It’s just to plain to me for such a fantastic story, but because I loved the story so much I’m giving the cover a three (3) heart rating.