RETRACE
Author: Sigal Ehrlich
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Nia Martins believes a fresh start will help her leave her traumatic past behind. Moving to a different country, she seeks to shake off her demons by doing the one thing that sets her free from her destructive thoughts – teaching dance. But change doesn't come easy, and all Nia really wants is to take the next breath without the perpetual suffocation that follows.
Reeves Mitchell has looked death in the eyes so many times it’s become habitual. That is, until his best friend's life was on the line. When the one thing he feared the most turns into reality, all he can do is pick up the pieces of his loss. As Reeves tries to live with the constant thought of “what if” gnawing at the back of his mind, he persistently and steadily builds a thick wall around himself.
Their solitary lives are all they have—until fate brings them together. Nia and Reeves’ new friendship helps make life, shadowed by the ghosts of their past, more bearable. But as their relationship deepens and new, suppressed feelings emerge between them, are they willing to retrace their steps back to where wounded hearts can be broken once more?
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~ 4 - 4.5 stars~
Where to begin?!? I first read Sigal's 'Stark Series' the beginning of this year and really enjoyed her style of writing. She can write intense, deep and meaningful Alpha males....like, truly yummy ones!! Hardened, hurt and protective, but conflicted. She is a pro at it!!
Reeves was all that and then some....he was a man that had a resistant and damaged side to him. One that he kept away from the average Joe. He kept to himself, and rarely let people 'in'. Nia and Reeves' first meeting was a little, shall we say, awkward? Completely by chance, they were thrust into a situation that was rather uncomfortable for one, and comical for the other. I found myself giggling with my jaw open, wondering how that would actually go over!
When Nia arrives in the bar where he works one night, something happens to him that shocks him deep within and he is absolutely fascinated by her. Not in an immature, wanna-get-in-her-pants kinda way, but the 'deep need to get to know her' kinda way.
“I'd have this one for breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner. Who am I kidding? I'd have her via IV."
Did I mention he was completely taken? He wanted to get to know her, all of her, but he needed to figure out how. He had his own ways of seeing how 'classy' she was versus the barflies he generally saw.
It's safe to say that Nia felt something towards Reeves, but after their first meeting and his smart mouth with the sexy smirk, her thoughts were best left for her imagination than to be acted upon. Comical, but REAL. She knew he was going to be trouble....with a capital "T".
“The guy looks steamy in a your-body-bends-voluntarily-over-the-first-available-surface kind of way."
After properly meeting and getting to know each other, the irresistible pull between these two people became very evident to everyone around them....but they didn't want to acknowledge it. Argh!! How could something *so* tangible and deep be kept secret?? I could feel their emotion, their desire and their need. But with the fear of possible heartbreak and pain, they kept very quiet on their feelings for each other. They both had walls that needed to be chipped away at...both for very personal and painful reasons.
Reeves' job takes him places and puts him in situations that are not for the faint of heart. It's also dangerous and keeps him away for periods at a time. This doesn't work well for a relationship that is stuck in limbo because two people couldn't seem to come to agreement on what their relationship really was. I wanted to SHAKE THEM!! Their feelings were THERE. They were real...they needed to accept them. I loved their love. I loved how he took care of her and made her 'feel' beyond what she wanted to feel and I loved seeing them both breaking down their walls within their hearts and opening up. Like I said, a few times I wanted to shake Nia and Reeves for their inward thoughts...but overall, this story was very consuming and I enjoyed it a lot.
“I gaze at Nia as she watches them with a wishful flare, having the urge to spin her around and kiss the life out of her. But I don't. Maybe showing outside our homes would give our relationship a classification, an acknowledgment, that we're both not willing to confront."
Retrace was a dual POV book and I loved seeing both of their reactions to situations, but also seeing their vulnerabilities play into their decision making processes. The names in this book truly seemed to fit the personalities of the characters and I found myself really enjoying and connecting with them quite easily....and I honestly think that is the first time I have ever realized that I was paying attention to the names for the characters.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wanted a good paced, action packed book with a deep love connection. I found myself suddenly wanting to play Scrabble with my man though...
I received an ARC for review and an honest opinion
~Sigal Ehrlich~
By teen age, Sigal already lived in three different continents where she was lucky enough to experience and visit varied places, meet unique people, which only helped fuel her overly developed imagination. Currently, Sigal calls Estonia home where she lives with her husband and three kids.
Not exactly sure where they will end up next...
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