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Crash and Burn #1
From Here to You
As Darby Dixon sits in a tiny Texas church bathroom on her wedding day holding a positive pregnancy test, she realizes that of all the bad decisions she's made in her life, marrying her abusive fiancé would be the worst. She's never been able to stand up for herself, but she'll sure as hell stand up for her baby. With just the cash she has on hand, she runs to get a bus ticket to the farthest place she can afford. Between her sheer grit and pageant-queen smile, she lands a job as a front desk clerk at the Colorado Springs Hotel. It's not a glamorous life, but she and her baby are all that matters.
A former Marine, Scott "Trex" Trexler has worked in the most dangerous, corrupt, war-torn places on earth. Now he finally has a chance to return to the last place he'd felt at peace--Colorado Springs, Colorado, to take a new job with the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, a top-secret military installation buried deep within the granite.
The moment Trex walks into the inn, Darby knows he's dangerous. There's no way she wants to get involved with another man who seems to be keeping way too many secrets. As charming and devastatingly gorgeous as Trex is, he clearly isn't telling her everything. But as wildfires rage on the mountain and Darby's ex-fiancé shows he isn't so willing to let her go, both she and Trex are soon to find out that what you don't know absolutely can hurt you.
A former Marine, Scott "Trex" Trexler has worked in the most dangerous, corrupt, war-torn places on earth. Now he finally has a chance to return to the last place he'd felt at peace--Colorado Springs, Colorado, to take a new job with the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, a top-secret military installation buried deep within the granite.
The moment Trex walks into the inn, Darby knows he's dangerous. There's no way she wants to get involved with another man who seems to be keeping way too many secrets. As charming and devastatingly gorgeous as Trex is, he clearly isn't telling her everything. But as wildfires rage on the mountain and Darby's ex-fiancé shows he isn't so willing to let her go, both she and Trex are soon to find out that what you don't know absolutely can hurt you.
368 pages, ebook
First published August 21, 2018
About the author
Jamie McGuire
45 books42.4k followersJamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.
Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel, Walking Disaster, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists in all four categories. Beautiful Oblivion, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1. In 2015, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, respectively, also topped the New York Times, as well as a Beautiful series novella, Something Beautiful. In 2016, Beautiful Burn made an appearance on the New York Times and USA Today, and was also named iBooks' Romance Book of the Year. The same year, A Beautiful Funeral also topped the New York Times bestseller list.
Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include: apocalyptic thriller and 2014 UtopYA Best Dystopian Book of the Year, Red Hill; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters, Happenstance: A Novella Series, and Sins of the Innocent.
Jamie is the first indie author in history to strike a print deal with retail giant Wal-Mart. Her self-published novel, Beautiful Redemption hit Wal-Mart shelves in September, 2015.
Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and their three children.
Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Instagram.
Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller Beautiful Disaster. Her follow-up novel, Walking Disaster, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists in all four categories. Beautiful Oblivion, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1. In 2015, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, respectively, also topped the New York Times, as well as a Beautiful series novella, Something Beautiful. In 2016, Beautiful Burn made an appearance on the New York Times and USA Today, and was also named iBooks' Romance Book of the Year. The same year, A Beautiful Funeral also topped the New York Times bestseller list.
Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include: apocalyptic thriller and 2014 UtopYA Best Dystopian Book of the Year, Red Hill; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters, Happenstance: A Novella Series, and Sins of the Innocent.
Jamie is the first indie author in history to strike a print deal with retail giant Wal-Mart. Her self-published novel, Beautiful Redemption hit Wal-Mart shelves in September, 2015.
Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and their three children.
Find Jamie at www.jamiemcguire.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 950 reviews
October 8, 2018
I think I've officially outgrown Jamie McGuire.
I read Beautiful Disaster waaaay back in 2011 and enjoyed it, but I haven't read Jamie McGuire since my epic fails with Providence and Walking Disaster in 2013. Now I remember why.
From Here to You was tedious, cliched, and, worst of all, boring. God, if you read these books and you think that this is all that the romance world has to offer, I have news for you.
First of all, lemme talk about the insta-love. I want to bury insta-love with a shovel, but authors keep digging it up. Trex knew Darby, the super-hot waitress, was the one after one interaction. Though insta-love may be a real thing in real life, it just doesn't work in books, with VERY few exceptions. Just declaring oddly strong feelings for another person with no build-up seems creepy and not romantic in novels. Believe me.
Darby was the kind of female MC that drives me crazy. She is gorgeous and men just fall over themselves trying to protect and help her. She is helpless and never seemed to come into her own. I didn't like her overly sweet (like, fake-sweet) persona, and it couldn't relate to her at all. Her chemistry with Trex was... fine... but he felt like the savior and I'm over savior-romances.
I also wasn't expecting was the surprisingly Christian romance-feel. I did not realize that such a large chunk of this book would be about faith and God's plan, and as a non-Christian, I was not at all into that.
To top it off, I felt like I was missing something the whole time. Was there a prequel that I missed?? I was lost in a maze of characters that I felt like I should know, somehow, or that the author expected us to know intimately. It was irritating and off-putting.
I'll freely admit that I skimmed the second half of the book, and it never got any better for me. From Here to You was my last Jaime McGuire.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I read Beautiful Disaster waaaay back in 2011 and enjoyed it, but I haven't read Jamie McGuire since my epic fails with Providence and Walking Disaster in 2013. Now I remember why.
From Here to You was tedious, cliched, and, worst of all, boring. God, if you read these books and you think that this is all that the romance world has to offer, I have news for you.
First of all, lemme talk about the insta-love. I want to bury insta-love with a shovel, but authors keep digging it up. Trex knew Darby, the super-hot waitress, was the one after one interaction. Though insta-love may be a real thing in real life, it just doesn't work in books, with VERY few exceptions. Just declaring oddly strong feelings for another person with no build-up seems creepy and not romantic in novels. Believe me.
Darby was the kind of female MC that drives me crazy. She is gorgeous and men just fall over themselves trying to protect and help her. She is helpless and never seemed to come into her own. I didn't like her overly sweet (like, fake-sweet) persona, and it couldn't relate to her at all. Her chemistry with Trex was... fine... but he felt like the savior and I'm over savior-romances.
I also wasn't expecting was the surprisingly Christian romance-feel. I did not realize that such a large chunk of this book would be about faith and God's plan, and as a non-Christian, I was not at all into that.
To top it off, I felt like I was missing something the whole time. Was there a prequel that I missed?? I was lost in a maze of characters that I felt like I should know, somehow, or that the author expected us to know intimately. It was irritating and off-putting.
I'll freely admit that I skimmed the second half of the book, and it never got any better for me. From Here to You was my last Jaime McGuire.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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August 1, 2018
➳Second chances at finding your TRUE soulmate are very rare, but in this compelling romance story by Jamie McGuire there is only perfection and true admiration...
➳I'm not the biggest fan of romance stories with military or army heroes that have a broken heart and need mending from their true mate, but this one has changed my mind in every retrospective of wanting more of the story when it comes down to Darby and Trex. Scott "Trex" is an alpha male that provides the inner knowledge of just being with one person. He has been waiting his whole life for the right person to knock him on his feet so he falls hard for her. That's when Darby comes into the pictures, making her a broken down heroine with a regretful past that has landed her in a small town in California, wanting to start fresh, especially for the sake of an unexpected surprise that she found out the day before everything changed.
➳Starting off as someone with a mysterious past, Darby learns to open up about her history to Trex. Making him the ideal partner that she has been missing out on. She is not looking to be with anyone at this stage of her life since she already has way too many occupations going on in her head, but someone who acknowledges her beauty and wittiness is something that she was not expecting either. The care and protective side of Trex is also another contributing factor of him that makes the reader swoon over how ideal he is for Darby's broken heart. Her interactions with him have made her want his touch, his nearness, his presence unlike anything else.
➳Conquering obstacles from Darby's past is something that has brought her and her relationship with Trex to become complicated. To him, he does not care 'cause he just want to protect her in every aspect;
➳Overall, this second chance romance at finding your ideal partner is one that I will highly recommend for those who are seeking an emotional read. There is nothing better than having a romance novel that makes you swoon over every action the male character does. For me, I am loving everything there is about Jamie's writing. For others, this may be a little too angsty, but I am finding it to be the perfect combination of what the characters pace should be. Thank you once again to my favorite, Estelle, for sending me the copy of this beauty. I am looking forward to see what else Jamie has to write in this upcoming series.
➳ARC kindly provided by my favorite publisher at Forever Romance, in exchange for an honest review...
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➳I'm not the biggest fan of romance stories with military or army heroes that have a broken heart and need mending from their true mate, but this one has changed my mind in every retrospective of wanting more of the story when it comes down to Darby and Trex. Scott "Trex" is an alpha male that provides the inner knowledge of just being with one person. He has been waiting his whole life for the right person to knock him on his feet so he falls hard for her. That's when Darby comes into the pictures, making her a broken down heroine with a regretful past that has landed her in a small town in California, wanting to start fresh, especially for the sake of an unexpected surprise that she found out the day before everything changed.
➳Starting off as someone with a mysterious past, Darby learns to open up about her history to Trex. Making him the ideal partner that she has been missing out on. She is not looking to be with anyone at this stage of her life since she already has way too many occupations going on in her head, but someone who acknowledges her beauty and wittiness is something that she was not expecting either. The care and protective side of Trex is also another contributing factor of him that makes the reader swoon over how ideal he is for Darby's broken heart. Her interactions with him have made her want his touch, his nearness, his presence unlike anything else.
➳Conquering obstacles from Darby's past is something that has brought her and her relationship with Trex to become complicated. To him, he does not care 'cause he just want to protect her in every aspect;
"When you know, you know, and I knew the second I saw Darby Cooke. It was the first-sight nonsense that until that moment I would've said was bullshit. Since that moment, she'd been the center of my universe, and there was so much more to get to know..."
➳Overall, this second chance romance at finding your ideal partner is one that I will highly recommend for those who are seeking an emotional read. There is nothing better than having a romance novel that makes you swoon over every action the male character does. For me, I am loving everything there is about Jamie's writing. For others, this may be a little too angsty, but I am finding it to be the perfect combination of what the characters pace should be. Thank you once again to my favorite, Estelle, for sending me the copy of this beauty. I am looking forward to see what else Jamie has to write in this upcoming series.
➳ARC kindly provided by my favorite publisher at Forever Romance, in exchange for an honest review...
➳Follow Me On:
Blog ♕ Instagram ♕ Facebook ♕ Twitter
August 21, 2018
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I have no shame in admitting I love a good damsel in distress story, especially when her savior is a military man. So when I saw the blurb for Jamie McGuire's newest book you can bet i jumped at the chance to read it.
From Here to You is the story of Darby, a runaway bride who left her abusive fiance on her wedding day, and Trex, a retired Marine trying to start over with a new job in the one place he thinks will bring him peace. When he meets Darby he instantly know's that she's the one, his one true soul mate that he's been looking for his whole life and who he's measured every girl against, even though he hadn't met her yet. And he doesn't care that she comes with baggage most men would run from, she's his and he's willing to wait until he can prove it to her.
Honestly this was a really unique story in my opinion and for a lot of different reasons. Not only do we get a hero that is instantly all-in for the relationship while the heroine isn't, which doesn't happen too often in romance books, but we also get a really great way of storytelling where the main characters have different beliefs. I'm not a big fan of bringing religion into the books I read but I actually really enjoyed how it was done in this book. It wasn't forced at all but there were moments that the discussion of beliefs came up since Darby was a catholic and Trex was an atheist. I really liked that they didn't let it become a interference in their relationship and it made me love them even more that they could discuss that topic without it becoming a fight.
I just generally really liked and enjoyed this couple. I felt so many emotions for them both but Darby is the character that spoke to my heart the most. I admired her for having the strength to leave a bad situation, but I also hurt for her that she didn't feel like she deserved happiness. I was so happy that Trex came into her life and showed her that she didn't deserve to be punished for a past that wasn't her fault.
There's also a little bit of a mystery, at least for me since I'm obnoxiously curious, surrounding Trex's job. I am dying to find out what exactly is going on at the facility he works at so I hope that's something we'll learn in the upcoming books.
If you're a fan of this author you'll also be happy to see some of the Maddox brothers make an appearance in this book. I haven't read the book yet but I believe that Darby and Trex are actually characters you meet in Beautiful Burn. Either way, if you know these characters or not, I highly recommend their story. It was captivating, and beautiful, and a story I know I will be re-reading many times over.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon US * Amazon UK
I have no shame in admitting I love a good damsel in distress story, especially when her savior is a military man. So when I saw the blurb for Jamie McGuire's newest book you can bet i jumped at the chance to read it.
From Here to You is the story of Darby, a runaway bride who left her abusive fiance on her wedding day, and Trex, a retired Marine trying to start over with a new job in the one place he thinks will bring him peace. When he meets Darby he instantly know's that she's the one, his one true soul mate that he's been looking for his whole life and who he's measured every girl against, even though he hadn't met her yet. And he doesn't care that she comes with baggage most men would run from, she's his and he's willing to wait until he can prove it to her.
Honestly this was a really unique story in my opinion and for a lot of different reasons. Not only do we get a hero that is instantly all-in for the relationship while the heroine isn't, which doesn't happen too often in romance books, but we also get a really great way of storytelling where the main characters have different beliefs. I'm not a big fan of bringing religion into the books I read but I actually really enjoyed how it was done in this book. It wasn't forced at all but there were moments that the discussion of beliefs came up since Darby was a catholic and Trex was an atheist. I really liked that they didn't let it become a interference in their relationship and it made me love them even more that they could discuss that topic without it becoming a fight.
I just generally really liked and enjoyed this couple. I felt so many emotions for them both but Darby is the character that spoke to my heart the most. I admired her for having the strength to leave a bad situation, but I also hurt for her that she didn't feel like she deserved happiness. I was so happy that Trex came into her life and showed her that she didn't deserve to be punished for a past that wasn't her fault.
There's also a little bit of a mystery, at least for me since I'm obnoxiously curious, surrounding Trex's job. I am dying to find out what exactly is going on at the facility he works at so I hope that's something we'll learn in the upcoming books.
If you're a fan of this author you'll also be happy to see some of the Maddox brothers make an appearance in this book. I haven't read the book yet but I believe that Darby and Trex are actually characters you meet in Beautiful Burn. Either way, if you know these characters or not, I highly recommend their story. It was captivating, and beautiful, and a story I know I will be re-reading many times over.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2018
From Here to You by Jamie McGuire is the first book of the new Crash and Burn contemporary romance series. While this is the opening of a new series apparently the characters in From Here to You were minor players in another series, I believe The Maddox Brothers although I’m not 100% sure as this is my first novel I’ve read from Jamie McGuire myself. Having finished this one and loving it though I can say you don’t need to have read the previous to enjoy this even if the character/s have crossed over.
The story begins with Darby Dixon just finding out she’s pregnant as she’s about to marry her abusive fiance and it was one thing to take the abuse herself but Darby refuses to let him harm her baby. Jumping on a bus and going as far as she can she tries to stay off radar and takes a cash job working in a hotel with a room available to her too. Most of the guest at the hotel are the fire fighters coming and going as they battle blazes in the nearby areas and that is when Darby meets Scott “Trex” Trexler.
Trex has always believed that one day he will meet “the one” and the day he met Darby he was sure she was the woman he’d been waiting for. The problem, Darby wants nothing to do with men and especially any military, law enforcement, fire fighters or any field that reminds her of her ex. So being military and ex FBI Trex is not what Darby was looking for at all but before long he begins to show her just what kind of man he is and that he is not her ex.
From Here to You had a lot of great elements to it that easily pulled me into the story and made me love Darby and Trex and want to cheer them on. First, I’m a sucker for a man stepping up and taking care of a child when it’s not his own and Trex didn’t even blink at the news. Darby on the other hand took a lot of convincing which you don’t see too often, the man all in and the woman lagging behind, it was a nice switch. But if anyone deserved to have things go her way it’s the woman that found the strength to run and protect her child so my heart went out to her. There’s steamy, there’s struggles, there’s touching moments and emotion along with some suspense on top of it all to really make the pages turn. Great opener to the series that I think many will love.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
The story begins with Darby Dixon just finding out she’s pregnant as she’s about to marry her abusive fiance and it was one thing to take the abuse herself but Darby refuses to let him harm her baby. Jumping on a bus and going as far as she can she tries to stay off radar and takes a cash job working in a hotel with a room available to her too. Most of the guest at the hotel are the fire fighters coming and going as they battle blazes in the nearby areas and that is when Darby meets Scott “Trex” Trexler.
Trex has always believed that one day he will meet “the one” and the day he met Darby he was sure she was the woman he’d been waiting for. The problem, Darby wants nothing to do with men and especially any military, law enforcement, fire fighters or any field that reminds her of her ex. So being military and ex FBI Trex is not what Darby was looking for at all but before long he begins to show her just what kind of man he is and that he is not her ex.
From Here to You had a lot of great elements to it that easily pulled me into the story and made me love Darby and Trex and want to cheer them on. First, I’m a sucker for a man stepping up and taking care of a child when it’s not his own and Trex didn’t even blink at the news. Darby on the other hand took a lot of convincing which you don’t see too often, the man all in and the woman lagging behind, it was a nice switch. But if anyone deserved to have things go her way it’s the woman that found the strength to run and protect her child so my heart went out to her. There’s steamy, there’s struggles, there’s touching moments and emotion along with some suspense on top of it all to really make the pages turn. Great opener to the series that I think many will love.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Shelved as 'dnf'
February 8, 2019DNF @ 19%
I haven't added a book to my DNF shelf in a while, and I didn't even make it to the 30% mark that I usually make myself get to before doing so. Since I didn't, I feel like I need to say I might not have given this a fair chance.
It felt too slow. Nothing was happening and it felt like it was dragging. The h was alright, but the constant reminder about how everyone wanted her and how beautiful she was got a little old. The H seemed alright too, but he was already declaring the h to be his "one". I didn't really get it. If it was based solely on attraction -- sure. Otherwise, their interactions were short and meaningless up to this point to be based on anything else.
After a few failed books, I simply didn't want to continue on if I wasn't invested -- and I wasn't. It definitely could be just me and my mood...
I haven't added a book to my DNF shelf in a while, and I didn't even make it to the 30% mark that I usually make myself get to before doing so. Since I didn't, I feel like I need to say I might not have given this a fair chance.
It felt too slow. Nothing was happening and it felt like it was dragging. The h was alright, but the constant reminder about how everyone wanted her and how beautiful she was got a little old. The H seemed alright too, but he was already declaring the h to be his "one". I didn't really get it. If it was based solely on attraction -- sure. Otherwise, their interactions were short and meaningless up to this point to be based on anything else.
After a few failed books, I simply didn't want to continue on if I wasn't invested -- and I wasn't. It definitely could be just me and my mood...
August 24, 2018
IPADS FLAT WILL WRITE UP REVIEW LATER
FROM HERE TO YOU: is the first book, full length, romance novel in J. McGuire's ‘Crash and Burn' series.
We’re first introduced to Darby Dixon as she’s contemplating becoming a runaway bride, having taken a pregnancy test in the toilet of the church she’s getting married in where she’s having second thoughts, and for good reason too, a toxic, overbearing fiancé, she knows she doesn’t want to bring up a child in that environment and with the help from a friend she’s on a greyhound bus, destination unknown. Fleeing the man standing at the end of the alter ready to say ‘I do’
Then we’re introduced to Scott ‘Trex’ Trexler a former Marine,
September 9, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Disappointed*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
I am surprised at how little I actually liked the book. How little I liked the story and the characters. Why I'm surprised? Well, Jamie McGuire gave us Travis Maddox, but apparently no one else can live up to him and specially not the former Marine, Scott ‘Scottie’ ‘Trex’ Solomon Trexler (35). He was nice and kind and all that, but there was nothing special about him, nothing that made my heart skip a beat... nothing. He just was. As for Darby Dixon (how old?)... she annoyed me. A lot. She was very back and forth, naive and I just didn't like her. I couldn't connect with her at all and I need to connect to enjoy the read. Overall, I'm disappointed and I'm 99% sure I won't continue the series. Also, insta-love. Big fucking insta-love. I had expected a slow-burn, but noooo, I of course got insta-love.
“I have a long, bad history with jerks,” she said.
“I can pretend to be one long enough to get your attention.”
“You have it.”
OTHER CHARACTERS:
↦ Stavros, Darby's boss and owner of Colorado Springs Hotel.
↦ Tilde, Darby's co-worker and Stavros' grandmother.
↦ Ander, Darby's co-worker and Tilde's favorite grandson and Stavros' little brother.
↦ Scott, Trex's dad and a Baptist preacher. Susanne, his mom, plays the piano and leads the choir. Hailey, Trex's little sister who a senior this year.
↦ Astrophysics Dr. Sybil DuPont.
↦ Senator Peter Bennett.
↦ Dr. Angus Philpot. All three works at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.
↦ Trex, the new head of security for the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, a top-secret military installation buried deep within the granite, and his team, John Harbinger, Hayden Sloan, Terrell Kitsch, Othello Martinez, and Naomi ‘Nomes’ Abrams.
“When you know, you know, and I knew the second I saw Darby Cooke. It was the first-sight nonsense that until that moment I would've said was bullshit. Since that moment, she'd been the center of my universe, and there was so much more to get to know.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance.
Series: - Series (Standalone?), Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Scott ‘Scottie’ ‘Trex’ Solomon Trexler.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Already have.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Not really.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars.
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 1, 2018I was happy to see that Jamie was releasing a new series. However, it was very short lived because nothing happened!
Darby leaves her abusive ex at the altar and flees to start over with and hide from him. She swears off dating and just wants to focus on her and her unborn child. She meets Trex at the hotel that she gets a job at and they have an instant connection. I hate to say that I wasn’t really into the relationship between Darby and Trex.
Besides nothing happening, I think what really bothered me the most was that they fell FAST! Trex just knows that she is the one for him soon after meeting her and is already considering purchasing a house and being apart of her babies life. They start this relationship with each other even though they both have secrets.
ARC provided via NetGalley for an honest review.
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Darby leaves her abusive ex at the altar and flees to start over with and hide from him. She swears off dating and just wants to focus on her and her unborn child. She meets Trex at the hotel that she gets a job at and they have an instant connection. I hate to say that I wasn’t really into the relationship between Darby and Trex.
Besides nothing happening, I think what really bothered me the most was that they fell FAST! Trex just knows that she is the one for him soon after meeting her and is already considering purchasing a house and being apart of her babies life. They start this relationship with each other even though they both have secrets.
ARC provided via NetGalley for an honest review.
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January 4, 2024
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4.5*
O poveste de dragoste frumoasa, cu multe piedici pe drum. O poveste despre prietenie, încredere și iubire, presărată cu suspans și pericole. O lectura intensa.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
4.5*
O poveste de dragoste frumoasa, cu multe piedici pe drum. O poveste despre prietenie, încredere și iubire, presărată cu suspans și pericole. O lectura intensa.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
August 20, 2018
Darby just 'Runaway-Brided' it from her own wedding. But she has a good reason - her fiancé is an abusive a**hole! And ... she's kinda pregnant - which she just found out in the bathroom at church.
She's not raising a kid with that guy.
Her best friend gives her some money and drops her at the bus station.
Off to Colorado she goes.
After selling her wedding dress and buying some normal clothes, she immediately finds a job at a very busy hotel. Busy because all those sexy hotshot firemen stay there. Some huge wildfires are close by.
Scott Trexel - Trex - is also staying in that hotel. He's in town for his new job. He's 35 and has been in the military foreve and then in the FBI for a bit and now he's working with a secret private security team. His first day is tomorrow.
As soon as he meets Darby he's sure he's finally found the future Mrs. Trex.
But of course the girl is way too skittish and scared and hurt for a new relationship. And also ... she's pregnant by another guy, who might or might not have given up looking for her!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO DARBY & TREX???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
═════════════════════
Well.... Cute Romance ... BUT ;)
I already wanted to stop reading after 1 or 2 chapters. I just hate religion and everything connected to it. And there was so much praying and god and church and bible in those first pages already. Ugh.
But I also wanted to keep on reading. I was waiting for that story for so long. And I wanted to meet lots of Maddoxes again!!! And I did meet them. Taylor & Tyler are staying in that hotel too! Their stories/books are taking place at the same time!☺
But this story. Yes... it was cute and sweet and a bit funny and exciting toward the end. But it's not really anything new. We know she's pregnant and we know that her ex is not done with her. So nothing what happens really comes as a surprise.
Trex is great, but he's also a bit sappy with his insta-love-destiny kind of thing.
Thank god he's on my side with all that religion stuff!
The book was too long - it was filled with too much unnecessary stuff. Too much back and forth between Darby and Trex - she doesn't trust him - he doesn't tell her the whole truth! Which - surprise surprise - turns into fighting! Ugh.
It could've been an amazing romantic suspense, but Jamie almost didn't do anything with that secret military compound where Trex works. There could've been some amazing excitement - but nope... for such a long book, they weren't at that compound often enough - or with exciting enough moments. Only one basically. Maybe future books will tell us about that more!
We're mostly at the hotel - which was cute. Interesting.
It was an okay story. Just not amazing!
But I liked Trex and Darby, and all the others. Great supporting cast - I will definitely read all upcoming books about the others!
I enjoyed reading this book. It was just not as good as it could've been.
100 pages less and more action, more excitement, more adorably funny moments, a few more moving moments.
Also - what's with the cover? Roses and smoke? I suppose there is smoke from the fires but I still don't get it. Not in love with that cover - it looks bloody and doesn't fit the romance part at all.
BUT - don't get me wrong - even if it sounds like I did - I didn't hate the book. It was an ok read - lots of readers will really love it. Trex is really swoonable! ☺
FROM HERE TO YOU was a really adorable & exciting romance! Run to your nearest amazon asap for your own Trex - he'll be sold out in NO TIME!
♡
♡
♡
♡
August 20, 2018
Darby just 'Runaway-Brided' it from her own wedding. But she has a good reason - her fiancé is an abusive a**hole! And ... she's kinda pregnant - which she just found out in the bathroom at church.
She's not raising a kid with that guy.
Her best friend gives her some money and drops her at the bus station.
Off to Colorado she goes.
After selling her wedding dress and buying some normal clothes, she immediately finds a job at a very busy hotel. Busy because all those sexy hotshot firemen stay there. Some huge wildfires are close by.
Scott Trexel - Trex - is also staying in that hotel. He's in town for his new job. He's 35 and has been in the military foreve and then in the FBI for a bit and now he's working with a secret private security team. His first day is tomorrow.
As soon as he meets Darby he's sure he's finally found the future Mrs. Trex.
But of course the girl is way too skittish and scared and hurt for a new relationship. And also ... she's pregnant by another guy, who might or might not have given up looking for her!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO DARBY & TREX???
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
═════════════════════
Well.... Cute Romance ... BUT ;)
I already wanted to stop reading after 1 or 2 chapters. I just hate religion and everything connected to it. And there was so much praying and god and church and bible in those first pages already. Ugh.
But I also wanted to keep on reading. I was waiting for that story for so long. And I wanted to meet lots of Maddoxes again!!! And I did meet them. Taylor & Tyler are staying in that hotel too! Their stories/books are taking place at the same time!☺
But this story. Yes... it was cute and sweet and a bit funny and exciting toward the end. But it's not really anything new. We know she's pregnant and we know that her ex is not done with her. So nothing what happens really comes as a surprise.
Trex is great, but he's also a bit sappy with his insta-love-destiny kind of thing.
Thank god he's on my side with all that religion stuff!
The book was too long - it was filled with too much unnecessary stuff. Too much back and forth between Darby and Trex - she doesn't trust him - he doesn't tell her the whole truth! Which - surprise surprise - turns into fighting! Ugh.
It could've been an amazing romantic suspense, but Jamie almost didn't do anything with that secret military compound where Trex works. There could've been some amazing excitement - but nope... for such a long book, they weren't at that compound often enough - or with exciting enough moments. Only one basically. Maybe future books will tell us about that more!
We're mostly at the hotel - which was cute. Interesting.
It was an okay story. Just not amazing!
But I liked Trex and Darby, and all the others. Great supporting cast - I will definitely read all upcoming books about the others!
I enjoyed reading this book. It was just not as good as it could've been.
100 pages less and more action, more excitement, more adorably funny moments, a few more moving moments.
Also - what's with the cover? Roses and smoke? I suppose there is smoke from the fires but I still don't get it. Not in love with that cover - it looks bloody and doesn't fit the romance part at all.
BUT - don't get me wrong - even if it sounds like I did - I didn't hate the book. It was an ok read - lots of readers will really love it. Trex is really swoonable! ☺
FROM HERE TO YOU was a really adorable & exciting romance! Run to your nearest amazon asap for your own Trex - he'll be sold out in NO TIME!
♡
♡
♡
♡
August 8, 2018
From Here to You has everything I should love in a contemporary romance. A woman, Darby, skips out on her wedding day after finding out she is pregnant. The child gave her the strength to run from an abusive relationship.
Trex was in the military, worked for the FBI and now works in a classified security job for a secret government project. He sees Darby working at the hotel he's checked into near his new job and instantly knows she is the woman for him. Trex will stop at nothing to convince Darby they are a perfect match.
I was hooked right away to Darby's plight but where I should of been completely engaged I started to loose interest because the plot got caught up with immature, overreactions, and side plots that didn't feel pertinent to the storytelling. I started out loving it and ended up liking it.
I received this ARC copy of From Here to You from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). This is my honest and voluntary review. From Here to You is set for publication August 21, 2018.
My Rating: 3 stars
Written by: Jamie McGuire
Series: Crash and Burn
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: August 21, 2018
ISBN-10: 1538730014
ISBN-13: 978-1538730010
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Here-You-Crash...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from...
Want more check us out on Tome Tender Book Blog or on Facebook
Trex was in the military, worked for the FBI and now works in a classified security job for a secret government project. He sees Darby working at the hotel he's checked into near his new job and instantly knows she is the woman for him. Trex will stop at nothing to convince Darby they are a perfect match.
I was hooked right away to Darby's plight but where I should of been completely engaged I started to loose interest because the plot got caught up with immature, overreactions, and side plots that didn't feel pertinent to the storytelling. I started out loving it and ended up liking it.
I received this ARC copy of From Here to You from Forever (Grand Central Publishing). This is my honest and voluntary review. From Here to You is set for publication August 21, 2018.
My Rating: 3 stars
Written by: Jamie McGuire
Series: Crash and Burn
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: August 21, 2018
ISBN-10: 1538730014
ISBN-13: 978-1538730010
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Here-You-Crash...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/from...
Want more check us out on Tome Tender Book Blog or on Facebook
August 24, 2018
4 Knowing You are Out There Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
We all know about Love at First Sight...There is look, a knowing and like Michael in The Godfather, you can be "Hit with the thunderbolt" when it hits, especially those who never thought they would ever fall in love. Many have fallen and that was that...
But what about a man who just Knows...Knows his One is out there and holds true to this idea for years... that when he sees her, he will just know...Is he crazy...and isn't it kind odd for a man of no faith...
Former Marine, Scott "Trex" Trexler is this man and has taken many a ribbing from his team when they brought up his looking for his one. They all served together, lost brothers in arms together and now they are back together in Colorado Springs to work "Security" for a government location at the base of the mountains. It is top secret and none of them can reveal why they are in the area.
Darby Dixon is carrying her own top secret which cannot be revealed. She made the most important decision of her life while in the tiny restroom located in a church in Texas. It was a decision she had been trying to make for awhile. Somehow she was at the edge of this cliff...marry the man who had been abusive to her or make the jump, leave out the backdoor with only the money she had in her purse protecting herself and the baby she is carrying and run.
Darby picked run and her best friend gave her as much cash as she had on her. Darby ended up in Colorado Springs. By selling the wedding dress she traveled in, she was able to get a few items to get by for the next few days. When she enters the Colorado Springs Hotel to apply for their open position, she is lucky to meet the owner by mistake. He chats with her at his bar, listens and sees the solid woman she is...
And because timing is everything, he makes the call to hire her on the spot. He even agrees to pay her in cash. Darby knows she needs to stay under the radar because her ex has the means to track down any electronic/government notices.
Colorado Springs is being overrun by Hotshots, men who are elite firefighters. Right now the hills are a furnace and men from all over have arrived at the hotel. It is being used like a headquarters or hub. All of them are sex on a stick... or at least think they are. Darby is learning the front desk responsibilities and all of them are trying to hit on her. She is polite, friendly but firm in her non interest.
When Trex sees Darby at the front desk...He is hit with his Thunderbolt, he is seeing his one. It is exactly like what his father told him of all those years ago. He Knows. Trex comes up to the desk and introduces himself to Darby. She gives him a beautiful smile and he is dazzled. A conversation, a little banter but nothing to lead him on takes place...Darby is very aware of what she needs to do...Stay focused and look out for her new responsibility.
This is a very sweet story with some suspense but mostly the development of this coming together of Trex and Darby. Darby maintains her focus to not reveal her secrets and Trex has his own he needs to hide. This causes Darby to continue to fight Trex's feelings for her.
There is much to admire in this book. This presents a couple who have very different beliefs, one is sincerely religious, the other is an atheist with strong values and ethics. Together they were eventually the right fit.
This was my first Jamie McGuire read and since there will probably will be more books in this series coming, it won't be my last.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * Spoiler Free
We all know about Love at First Sight...There is look, a knowing and like Michael in The Godfather, you can be "Hit with the thunderbolt" when it hits, especially those who never thought they would ever fall in love. Many have fallen and that was that...
But what about a man who just Knows...Knows his One is out there and holds true to this idea for years... that when he sees her, he will just know...Is he crazy...and isn't it kind odd for a man of no faith...
Former Marine, Scott "Trex" Trexler is this man and has taken many a ribbing from his team when they brought up his looking for his one. They all served together, lost brothers in arms together and now they are back together in Colorado Springs to work "Security" for a government location at the base of the mountains. It is top secret and none of them can reveal why they are in the area.
Darby Dixon is carrying her own top secret which cannot be revealed. She made the most important decision of her life while in the tiny restroom located in a church in Texas. It was a decision she had been trying to make for awhile. Somehow she was at the edge of this cliff...marry the man who had been abusive to her or make the jump, leave out the backdoor with only the money she had in her purse protecting herself and the baby she is carrying and run.
Darby picked run and her best friend gave her as much cash as she had on her. Darby ended up in Colorado Springs. By selling the wedding dress she traveled in, she was able to get a few items to get by for the next few days. When she enters the Colorado Springs Hotel to apply for their open position, she is lucky to meet the owner by mistake. He chats with her at his bar, listens and sees the solid woman she is...
And because timing is everything, he makes the call to hire her on the spot. He even agrees to pay her in cash. Darby knows she needs to stay under the radar because her ex has the means to track down any electronic/government notices.
Colorado Springs is being overrun by Hotshots, men who are elite firefighters. Right now the hills are a furnace and men from all over have arrived at the hotel. It is being used like a headquarters or hub. All of them are sex on a stick... or at least think they are. Darby is learning the front desk responsibilities and all of them are trying to hit on her. She is polite, friendly but firm in her non interest.
When Trex sees Darby at the front desk...He is hit with his Thunderbolt, he is seeing his one. It is exactly like what his father told him of all those years ago. He Knows. Trex comes up to the desk and introduces himself to Darby. She gives him a beautiful smile and he is dazzled. A conversation, a little banter but nothing to lead him on takes place...Darby is very aware of what she needs to do...Stay focused and look out for her new responsibility.
This is a very sweet story with some suspense but mostly the development of this coming together of Trex and Darby. Darby maintains her focus to not reveal her secrets and Trex has his own he needs to hide. This causes Darby to continue to fight Trex's feelings for her.
There is much to admire in this book. This presents a couple who have very different beliefs, one is sincerely religious, the other is an atheist with strong values and ethics. Together they were eventually the right fit.
This was my first Jamie McGuire read and since there will probably will be more books in this series coming, it won't be my last.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
August 22, 2018
***2.5 Stars***
It pains me in so many ways to have to rate a novel by an author that I hold up so high on a pedestal, so low… My heart is legit broken. one thing I learned through my life when it comes to reading. it is humanly impossible to love every book, no matter how bad you want it to happen.
About From Here To You:
Darby is on the run from her abusive ex-fiance after leaving him at the altar. On the day of her wedding she realized with a plastic stick that it isn’t just her anymore and she’ll do everything in her power to protect her little one so with a plan in mind and a bus ticket in hand she travels to Colorado.
Trex has lived his life imagining his perfect dream girl. He’s served tours overseas and worked as an fbi agent, but no relationship ever felt like the right one, until he walks into the hotel and catches a glimpse of Darby. Now he’ll do anything to protect her and her unborn baby, even if it means keeping important things from her.
My Thoughts:
Wow. I have no idea how to start this portion of my review. So I’m going to start with a few pros and then go to the cons. For starters I have to say, I was really intrigued by this novel. I have been a huge fan of Jamie McGuire’s ever since I read Beautiful Disaster and that love only continued to grow when I read The Maddox brothers series. So to say I was excited to receive an arc of From Here To You, Jamie McGuire’s brand spanking new series, would be an understatement. I was over the moon to the point where I set everything aside and immediately dove into this novel as soon as it arrived on my kindle.
I can’t say I was completely disappointed by this novel. There were moments that seriously tugged at all of my heartstrings. However, there were a few more moments that were a tad bit drawn out to the point of annoyance.
I was intrigued when I first started reading From Here To You. Darby’s situation and her willingness to protect her unborn child really made me feel for her. I loved the emotion that was portrayed between the fear and then need of the escape. This beginning led me to believe that Darby was going to grow into one hell of a fighter.
I have to say this because this is how I truly feel and I’m all about being honest in my reviews lately. When it comes to Darby’s situation...It SERIOUSLY pissed me off that almost EVERYONE either knew or suspected Shawn was an unhinged person who mistreated Darby….But only one person stepped up to help. Did I mention that Shawn is in the ARMY and they live on an army base...Meaning….she is surrounded by men and women who have made a choice to PROTECT and help those in need. Not one of them had enough insight to help a woman who they knew and/or suspected was being abused?! This was a definite no moment for me.
The more I read, the more wishy washy I started to feel about this novel. Trex and Darby where way to instant for my liking. The woman I thought would grow into her own strength, hid her strength behind a man. Granted that man was swoony and sweet and everything I was hoping he would end up being...but still, I wanted that redemption moment. I wanted Darby to find her fierceness and fight to protect what is hers… that being her baby.
Trex literally made my heart swoon. He was the sweetest man, however, half the time I had no idea what was going on during his chapters… I really liked the bond between he and his team and the comrodorie they share, I just wish the novel touched more on the PTSD that was mentioned here and there but was never really talked about.
Overall, somewhere along the way, my intrigue at the beginning of the novel, swiftly turned into annoyance. I wanted and needed more from these characters. I needed more of a connection between the main characters and more from the romance and relationship that this novel is revolving around. The characters didn’t have the chance to grow into the potential they were promised.
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March 13, 2018We are so pumped for Jamie's upcoming book.
Entertainment Weekly featured an exclusive excerpt: http://ew.com/books/2018/03/13/jamie-...
Entertainment Weekly featured an exclusive excerpt: http://ew.com/books/2018/03/13/jamie-...
August 21, 2018
This book! I ate it up in a day! I don't know how but before I knew it was 50% done.
Darby is such a strong character. She learned she was pregnant on her wedding day and instead of marrying an abusive man she chose to run and give her and her unborn child the chance at a better life. This decision also made the future scary and unpredictable.
By luck and a personality that seems to draw everyone to her she lands a job at a hotel. This is where everything changes for her. The hotel is buzzing with firefighters and other officials due to a wildfire but in the middle of all that she meets Trex.
Even though she's sworn off men he somehow breaks through in the most laid back, on-your-own-time-and-terms manner that really made me fall for him.
I rooted for them throughout and it was refreshing to see a female character learn how to be independent and strong. Also, while Darby was trying to work through all her issues Trex let her. There was no overly macho-alpha male in this book but Trex is still totally a man's man.
He falls quickly for her but it's not all smooth sailing for him. However, Trex is a guy and we all know guys can make some decisions that make total sense to them and only them. These decision may just come back to bite him in the ass.
The last 20-25% of the book had me in knots. You'll love this book if you like reading a romance that mixes moments of suspense with a touch of steam. It's been awhile since I finished a book in 24 hours so for that and all the amazing moments in this book I've given it 5 stars. I can't wait to hear what you think. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher on NetGalley for my honest and unbiased opinions.
Darby is such a strong character. She learned she was pregnant on her wedding day and instead of marrying an abusive man she chose to run and give her and her unborn child the chance at a better life. This decision also made the future scary and unpredictable.
By luck and a personality that seems to draw everyone to her she lands a job at a hotel. This is where everything changes for her. The hotel is buzzing with firefighters and other officials due to a wildfire but in the middle of all that she meets Trex.
Even though she's sworn off men he somehow breaks through in the most laid back, on-your-own-time-and-terms manner that really made me fall for him.
I rooted for them throughout and it was refreshing to see a female character learn how to be independent and strong. Also, while Darby was trying to work through all her issues Trex let her. There was no overly macho-alpha male in this book but Trex is still totally a man's man.
He falls quickly for her but it's not all smooth sailing for him. However, Trex is a guy and we all know guys can make some decisions that make total sense to them and only them. These decision may just come back to bite him in the ass.
The last 20-25% of the book had me in knots. You'll love this book if you like reading a romance that mixes moments of suspense with a touch of steam. It's been awhile since I finished a book in 24 hours so for that and all the amazing moments in this book I've given it 5 stars. I can't wait to hear what you think. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book via the publisher on NetGalley for my honest and unbiased opinions.
July 30, 2018
I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads
3 Stars
I was hooked from page one when a victim of domestic abuse is ready to set foot down the aisle to be married to her abuser. The runaway bride takes off with precious cargo in her belly, with only the bridal gown on her back. This resonated with me for varying reasons.
Darby flees to Colorado Springs, and that was yet another tie linking me to the novel itself, as I visit there and Estes Park every summer, along with Pikes Peak- I even laughed when Trex suggested a trip to Mt. Rushmore for fireworks, because that was a trip we took with all the same destinations. This connected me to the story, investing me in what happened next.
The little hotel, run by a tight-knit family, with all the firefighters added a warm and fuzzy, feel-good, lighthearted vibe to a story that could have gotten too dark due to fear of Darby’s abuser showing up. The side cast of characters were individuals and captivating.
The start of the novel had me clicking and clicking, then stumbling slightly over Trex’s narration at first. It felt like a lot of information bombarding me, with something far too close to insta-love for my liking.
Darby just escaped an abusive relationship with a military man, while trying to put her life back together from literally nothing, while worrying about the baby in her belly and how she was going to survive. While I think Trex had a good heart at the beginning, his tenaciousness felt too much to me, like give the girl a break for five seconds to get her head on straight, especially when hormones make it difficult to recognize real emotions from rampant mood swings. So what should have felt like warm and fuzzy support felt like yet another version of smothering manipulation. I felt the friendship and need for comfort and support from Darby, but never any true romantic feelings on her end, but plenty of fear and worry for what was happening in the blink of an eye.
Trex pressured Darby on every page, to the point it was taxing to read for me- triggering, if you will. I knew exactly how Darby felt- let the woman breathe. On Trex’s end, it felt more like obsession than love, with his ‘I’ve waited my whole life for you, knowing you were the one from first sight.’ While romantic for most readers, from the standpoint of a survivor of domestic violence, that is beyond creepy as I’m sure her abuser thought/felt the same thing. This was Trex’s immediate thoughts on Darby. Immediate.
Trex needed to get to know Darby, not just love the idea of her he built up inside his head over decades and the outside package. While I’m sure many readers will swoon over Trex and his unflinching tenacity, and I’m sure many will say I’m taking this too seriously… I left my ex, taking nothing I’d built over my entire adult life, if a man approached me that same day and pressured me day after day, I would have gotten a restraining order. Then to continually lie and gaslight Darby by saying she has trust issues…
I actually wanted Darby with Zeke, because it felt more organic, natural, more getting to know you with real friendship, not pressure to be romancy from word-one.
Why 3 Stars?
A book that was resonating with me suddenly went south for me, because it hit just about every single one of my pet peeves. The editor in me sat back and stopped reading, noting where the author should have been reeled in. Less is more. Adding layers of irrational, immature, manufactured conflict lessens the experience.
Insta-love. Fated to nearly paranormal levels for Trex, while Darby was obviously reluctant. It felt pressuring, like the guy in the friend-zone who keeps buying you gifts and being helpful, but it’s all phony manipulation to get you to love the fake side they are showing, just as what they love about you isn’t real, only an ideal. It’s false friendship, showing you the best parts of them while hiding/lying/evading- once you’re hooked, you’re stuck with someone not as advertised. FYI: this is called ‘LOVE BOMBING’ and it’s a form of manipulation predicating abuse.
Every time Trex is caught in a lie, he brings up/thinks how Darby has trust issues. While I know trust issues are a real thing, this is anything but. This is actually called gaslighting, where you make the other person feel as if they are the problem instead of recognizing your responsibility in the problem. Like admitting you lied, instead of turning it around on your victim by saying they have trust issues.
Miscommunication. ALL conflict is miscommunication. If you’re so in love, wish to get married, TALK to each other. I don’t mean classified things, but knowing it will blow up in your face, and doing so, just for the sake of it blowing up in your face to add conflict that was missing from a book without conflict… If the characters don’t speak to one another, the reader is left dealing with redundant inner monologuing at ad nauseum and we learn nothing of consequence about our storytellers. Time and time again, I said to myself, “Trex, right here is where you should be truthful.” Darby doesn’t have trust issues– she literally just escaped a madman a heartbeat ago, but you go ahead and keep lying and evading the big and little things that are actually of zero consequence, so we’ll have some irrational, manufactured conflict later on. Darby didn’t have trust issues- Trex did, as he never trusted Darby enough to tell the truth about anything. It becomes tedious and I lost interest, because I knew what was going to happen, just as the narrator does, and when it does happen, it’s like “C’mon! Really?!”
Characters acting out of character, aka character trait lobotomy. Emotional maturity not matching chronological age, career position, or personality traits. Behavior more befitting those who have had zero life experience. Trex was in the USMC, serving in active duty from a leadership position, he then worked for the FBI. Now he is currently working as an independent contractor for the US Government as a security specialist, with a team under his command… the irrational, immature, out of character behavior he displayed at the climax had me shutting my Kindle. After protecting Darby for 80% of the novel, with the threat literally on the premises, he leaves to go help his sister who has called the authorities and is no worse for wear, while leaving a pregnant Darby with her stalker just because she was being irrational due to his lies and hormones. The hotel isn’t a magical safe zone. She has an excuse, he doesn’t. Trex displayed why he should have never been employed for 2 seconds by the US Government as no one would be safe under his command.
Manufactured conflict in a novel teeming with conflict unexplored. (see above) We have a runaway bride with an abusive, military ex on the loose, WE DID NOT NEED MISCOMMUNICATION AS A CONFLICT. We didn’t need a flirty, desperate acting grown woman to add conflict, giving women everywhere a bad name when we already had a villain of the story.
Sociopaths don’t run in packs, because they tend to cannibalize each other to protect their secrets. Just as people of faith aren’t unintelligent (a thread I felt was explored in the novel with the force of a hammer to the skull. FYI: I’m not a person of faith, but this was too much). All military men are not sociopaths, to where an abusive ex manages to find more of his kind to commit crimes with him. The novel lost all credibility with me, and I realize this is fiction. Shawn managing to rustle up several other sociopaths is several steps too far. All the conflict necessary was available, adding in a jealous sociopathic girl who somehow manages to hook up with the sociopath pack...
I felt everything was displayed in the extreme. All military men are bad. All firefighters are good (my abuser was a FF). All politicians are corrupt or bumbling. All women under the age of elderly are after your man or irrational (the reporter girlfriend, the new reporter, the new hire, all the women shown besides the grandmother). Every male wanted Darby. Religion is for the unintelligent, atheism is for the intelligent. Domestic violence suffers shouldn’t work through their issues, but immediately latch onto the first man who shows all the precursors of future abusive behavior.
As you can see, what was a book I was so readily prepared to hand out 5 stars veered off course quickly. It meandered, became redundant and tedious, filled with mundane, inane everyday laundry list of daily events. The premise couldn’t support the page-count as it struggled to figure out how to fill in the gap from the middle to the ending. Generally, I DNF a book because I don’t want to give a critical review, but with domestic violence being something so close to me, I had to read it to its conclusion.
Everything went against human nature and our natural responses to stimuli. I felt Darby’s emotions weren’t properly explored, as Trex slapped a bandage over it by tossing money at the problem and telling her he loved her, instead of getting her real help from a therapist while allowing her time to find herself as a person and to grieve the past that no longer exists- the life and people she left behind. It took me years, and Darby wasn’t afforded HOURS after leaving her previous life behind. She traded in one prison for another, and I’m sorry but I found no romance in that. The journey wasn’t explored because the wrong things were focused on during the novel.
To me, the romance read as the initial stages- the draw, the hook, the clenching force -of abuse. As if the beginning and the climax showed the ending of an abusive relationship with the ex, and the rest of the novel showed how women fall victim to it every day via love bombing, gaslighting, control, lying and evasion, and manipulations, buying the I Love Yous handed out far too quickly.
Insta-love is called infatuation. If I ask you why you love someone, and you can’t answer me because all you know is their name and their outside package, it’s NOT love. Lust. Infatuation. Shallow. Vapid. As deep as the skin found beautiful. This isn’t a paranormal fated mates story. What’s to love? Why do you love them? If the answer is how they are the ideal/the fantasy of your forever love, you need therapy, because they’re a person, not someone filling a void in your life. This is exactly how abuse is born, when you discover they are not the ideal/fantasy, but flawed flesh and bone.
Both older and wiser, I expected a novel that read more mature, but their actions belied their ages (I don’t believe Darby’s age was ever said), leaving me feeling as if I read a young adult or new adult novel set in the context of a mature worldview.
3 Stars
I was hooked from page one when a victim of domestic abuse is ready to set foot down the aisle to be married to her abuser. The runaway bride takes off with precious cargo in her belly, with only the bridal gown on her back. This resonated with me for varying reasons.
Darby flees to Colorado Springs, and that was yet another tie linking me to the novel itself, as I visit there and Estes Park every summer, along with Pikes Peak- I even laughed when Trex suggested a trip to Mt. Rushmore for fireworks, because that was a trip we took with all the same destinations. This connected me to the story, investing me in what happened next.
The little hotel, run by a tight-knit family, with all the firefighters added a warm and fuzzy, feel-good, lighthearted vibe to a story that could have gotten too dark due to fear of Darby’s abuser showing up. The side cast of characters were individuals and captivating.
The start of the novel had me clicking and clicking, then stumbling slightly over Trex’s narration at first. It felt like a lot of information bombarding me, with something far too close to insta-love for my liking.
Darby just escaped an abusive relationship with a military man, while trying to put her life back together from literally nothing, while worrying about the baby in her belly and how she was going to survive. While I think Trex had a good heart at the beginning, his tenaciousness felt too much to me, like give the girl a break for five seconds to get her head on straight, especially when hormones make it difficult to recognize real emotions from rampant mood swings. So what should have felt like warm and fuzzy support felt like yet another version of smothering manipulation. I felt the friendship and need for comfort and support from Darby, but never any true romantic feelings on her end, but plenty of fear and worry for what was happening in the blink of an eye.
Trex pressured Darby on every page, to the point it was taxing to read for me- triggering, if you will. I knew exactly how Darby felt- let the woman breathe. On Trex’s end, it felt more like obsession than love, with his ‘I’ve waited my whole life for you, knowing you were the one from first sight.’ While romantic for most readers, from the standpoint of a survivor of domestic violence, that is beyond creepy as I’m sure her abuser thought/felt the same thing. This was Trex’s immediate thoughts on Darby. Immediate.
Trex needed to get to know Darby, not just love the idea of her he built up inside his head over decades and the outside package. While I’m sure many readers will swoon over Trex and his unflinching tenacity, and I’m sure many will say I’m taking this too seriously… I left my ex, taking nothing I’d built over my entire adult life, if a man approached me that same day and pressured me day after day, I would have gotten a restraining order. Then to continually lie and gaslight Darby by saying she has trust issues…
I actually wanted Darby with Zeke, because it felt more organic, natural, more getting to know you with real friendship, not pressure to be romancy from word-one.
Why 3 Stars?
A book that was resonating with me suddenly went south for me, because it hit just about every single one of my pet peeves. The editor in me sat back and stopped reading, noting where the author should have been reeled in. Less is more. Adding layers of irrational, immature, manufactured conflict lessens the experience.
Insta-love. Fated to nearly paranormal levels for Trex, while Darby was obviously reluctant. It felt pressuring, like the guy in the friend-zone who keeps buying you gifts and being helpful, but it’s all phony manipulation to get you to love the fake side they are showing, just as what they love about you isn’t real, only an ideal. It’s false friendship, showing you the best parts of them while hiding/lying/evading- once you’re hooked, you’re stuck with someone not as advertised. FYI: this is called ‘LOVE BOMBING’ and it’s a form of manipulation predicating abuse.
Every time Trex is caught in a lie, he brings up/thinks how Darby has trust issues. While I know trust issues are a real thing, this is anything but. This is actually called gaslighting, where you make the other person feel as if they are the problem instead of recognizing your responsibility in the problem. Like admitting you lied, instead of turning it around on your victim by saying they have trust issues.
Miscommunication. ALL conflict is miscommunication. If you’re so in love, wish to get married, TALK to each other. I don’t mean classified things, but knowing it will blow up in your face, and doing so, just for the sake of it blowing up in your face to add conflict that was missing from a book without conflict… If the characters don’t speak to one another, the reader is left dealing with redundant inner monologuing at ad nauseum and we learn nothing of consequence about our storytellers. Time and time again, I said to myself, “Trex, right here is where you should be truthful.” Darby doesn’t have trust issues– she literally just escaped a madman a heartbeat ago, but you go ahead and keep lying and evading the big and little things that are actually of zero consequence, so we’ll have some irrational, manufactured conflict later on. Darby didn’t have trust issues- Trex did, as he never trusted Darby enough to tell the truth about anything. It becomes tedious and I lost interest, because I knew what was going to happen, just as the narrator does, and when it does happen, it’s like “C’mon! Really?!”
Characters acting out of character, aka character trait lobotomy. Emotional maturity not matching chronological age, career position, or personality traits. Behavior more befitting those who have had zero life experience. Trex was in the USMC, serving in active duty from a leadership position, he then worked for the FBI. Now he is currently working as an independent contractor for the US Government as a security specialist, with a team under his command… the irrational, immature, out of character behavior he displayed at the climax had me shutting my Kindle. After protecting Darby for 80% of the novel, with the threat literally on the premises, he leaves to go help his sister who has called the authorities and is no worse for wear, while leaving a pregnant Darby with her stalker just because she was being irrational due to his lies and hormones. The hotel isn’t a magical safe zone. She has an excuse, he doesn’t. Trex displayed why he should have never been employed for 2 seconds by the US Government as no one would be safe under his command.
Manufactured conflict in a novel teeming with conflict unexplored. (see above) We have a runaway bride with an abusive, military ex on the loose, WE DID NOT NEED MISCOMMUNICATION AS A CONFLICT. We didn’t need a flirty, desperate acting grown woman to add conflict, giving women everywhere a bad name when we already had a villain of the story.
Sociopaths don’t run in packs, because they tend to cannibalize each other to protect their secrets. Just as people of faith aren’t unintelligent (a thread I felt was explored in the novel with the force of a hammer to the skull. FYI: I’m not a person of faith, but this was too much). All military men are not sociopaths, to where an abusive ex manages to find more of his kind to commit crimes with him. The novel lost all credibility with me, and I realize this is fiction. Shawn managing to rustle up several other sociopaths is several steps too far. All the conflict necessary was available, adding in a jealous sociopathic girl who somehow manages to hook up with the sociopath pack...
I felt everything was displayed in the extreme. All military men are bad. All firefighters are good (my abuser was a FF). All politicians are corrupt or bumbling. All women under the age of elderly are after your man or irrational (the reporter girlfriend, the new reporter, the new hire, all the women shown besides the grandmother). Every male wanted Darby. Religion is for the unintelligent, atheism is for the intelligent. Domestic violence suffers shouldn’t work through their issues, but immediately latch onto the first man who shows all the precursors of future abusive behavior.
As you can see, what was a book I was so readily prepared to hand out 5 stars veered off course quickly. It meandered, became redundant and tedious, filled with mundane, inane everyday laundry list of daily events. The premise couldn’t support the page-count as it struggled to figure out how to fill in the gap from the middle to the ending. Generally, I DNF a book because I don’t want to give a critical review, but with domestic violence being something so close to me, I had to read it to its conclusion.
Everything went against human nature and our natural responses to stimuli. I felt Darby’s emotions weren’t properly explored, as Trex slapped a bandage over it by tossing money at the problem and telling her he loved her, instead of getting her real help from a therapist while allowing her time to find herself as a person and to grieve the past that no longer exists- the life and people she left behind. It took me years, and Darby wasn’t afforded HOURS after leaving her previous life behind. She traded in one prison for another, and I’m sorry but I found no romance in that. The journey wasn’t explored because the wrong things were focused on during the novel.
To me, the romance read as the initial stages- the draw, the hook, the clenching force -of abuse. As if the beginning and the climax showed the ending of an abusive relationship with the ex, and the rest of the novel showed how women fall victim to it every day via love bombing, gaslighting, control, lying and evasion, and manipulations, buying the I Love Yous handed out far too quickly.
Insta-love is called infatuation. If I ask you why you love someone, and you can’t answer me because all you know is their name and their outside package, it’s NOT love. Lust. Infatuation. Shallow. Vapid. As deep as the skin found beautiful. This isn’t a paranormal fated mates story. What’s to love? Why do you love them? If the answer is how they are the ideal/the fantasy of your forever love, you need therapy, because they’re a person, not someone filling a void in your life. This is exactly how abuse is born, when you discover they are not the ideal/fantasy, but flawed flesh and bone.
Both older and wiser, I expected a novel that read more mature, but their actions belied their ages (I don’t believe Darby’s age was ever said), leaving me feeling as if I read a young adult or new adult novel set in the context of a mature worldview.
Want to read
May 10, 2017Y cuando no lo creías posible, Jamie McGuire te lo hace posible.
Esta autora se quemó en su propia formula. Exploto Beautiful Disaster y sigue haciéndolo.
Ahora en forma de “otra” serie con “otro” nombre y personajes de la serie de los hermanos Maddox.
No sé quién diablos es Trex, no tengo ni idea―ya ni lo recuerdo. Y NO ME IMPORTA. Cuenta que es un personaje de Beautiful Sacrifice y Beautiful Burn y compañero de trabajo de Tomas Maddox.
Así que ya me imagino por donde viene esto.
Esta autora se quemó en su propia formula. Exploto Beautiful Disaster y sigue haciéndolo.
Ahora en forma de “otra” serie con “otro” nombre y personajes de la serie de los hermanos Maddox.
No sé quién diablos es Trex, no tengo ni idea―ya ni lo recuerdo. Y NO ME IMPORTA. Cuenta que es un personaje de Beautiful Sacrifice y Beautiful Burn y compañero de trabajo de Tomas Maddox.
Así que ya me imagino por donde viene esto.
August 22, 2018
Find this review and others at Carlene Inspired.
Darby is no damsel in distress, but that doesn't mean Trex doesn't want to sweep her off her feet and protect her in his castle. A sweet, southern girl from Texas with nothing but the clothes on her back and a hotel job, Darby knows the road will be all uphill, but it's worth it to give her baby something better. She isn't just playing hard to get when she ignores the advances of the hotshots in Colorado, but something about Trex makes her change her plans. She lets him in, despite the unknown job that has him taking up residence in the small mountain town.
Trex has always known the one was out there, he just didn't know she'd be an authority hating woman with a suitcase full of secrets. He wants to give her his all, even if he can't tell her his real job, but he's afraid of giving her the truth, he can't give her a reason to run away. He seems to be making all the wrong decisions though, but when Darby's abusive ex shows up he knows he has to take control and show her his secrets will help him protect her.
Told from alternating perspectives, From Here to You tells the story of Darby and Trex, two individuals with more secrets than the hotel they're staying in can hold. Darby is aware of her beauty, but not vain enough to indulge it. She ran away from the beauty and lies she'd believed for so long and I loved that Jamie McGuire wrote her in such a smart way, showing that she recognized that the past couldn't be repeated anymore. Her strength, especially in working her way from nothing to something was empowering to read, even if sometimes I rolled my eyes at her silliness. For someone who does not like people with roles in military or public safety she certainly picked the wrong spot to land, but I liked that in time she opened up to the firefighters and to Trex. Trex is handsome, an alpha, and almost too sweet to believe. His faith in the one is so cute, but also difficult to imagine. I can see why girls, including his own sister, are so wary of his steadfast believe that he'd just find her and know. Of course, once he shows his true colors to Darby I fell in love right alongside her. The connection they have is instant, like two magnets drawn to one another.
The storyline was exactly what I expected, with Darby being pregnant and running from an abusive ex-fiance only to find herself meeting a guy that makes her believe in love again. While nothing was a big surprise for me, I still really enjoyed the read. Jamie McGuire knows how to tell a story, weaving in the character's pasts and several secondary characters to make it well rounded. We get to know the hotel staff, the hotshot firefighters hoping to save the mountainside, and Trex's rowdy team, who I want to see more of by the way. We know all the secrets before the characters do though, so I found myself begging Trex to reveal his and Darby to be reasonable. It can't always go my way though, I know. There is a lot of descriptive filler and dialogue to this book though, be prepared, especially if you aren't a fan of religion in books. For me it didn't bother me, but I admit it does standout a lot in the chapters where it is discussed. That said, it makes the characters who they are and I liked their differences, and I really liked their ability to love through those differences. The two share more than lust, making them a couple that you truly can picture together. Finally the part you're waiting for, I know you're all dying to know about the Maddox brothers' roles in this book and let me tell you, the story alone is fantastic, but seeing the brothers again makes it even better. We get quite a bit of interactions with them, thank you Jamie McGuire, and their roles are important to the story which I appreciated.
Emotional and complex, From Here to You is a stunning new release from Jamie McGuire. Tackling difficult subject matter like abuse and secrets in relationships seems to be McGuire forte and I liked the realness in this book. I rooted for Darby, fell in love with Trex, and clung to every word in this novel hoping that the things they didn't know wouldn't be their downfall. Whether you're a longtime McGuire fan or this is your first book, From Here to You is sure to keep your attention from start to finish.
ARC provided.
Darby is no damsel in distress, but that doesn't mean Trex doesn't want to sweep her off her feet and protect her in his castle. A sweet, southern girl from Texas with nothing but the clothes on her back and a hotel job, Darby knows the road will be all uphill, but it's worth it to give her baby something better. She isn't just playing hard to get when she ignores the advances of the hotshots in Colorado, but something about Trex makes her change her plans. She lets him in, despite the unknown job that has him taking up residence in the small mountain town.
Trex has always known the one was out there, he just didn't know she'd be an authority hating woman with a suitcase full of secrets. He wants to give her his all, even if he can't tell her his real job, but he's afraid of giving her the truth, he can't give her a reason to run away. He seems to be making all the wrong decisions though, but when Darby's abusive ex shows up he knows he has to take control and show her his secrets will help him protect her.
Told from alternating perspectives, From Here to You tells the story of Darby and Trex, two individuals with more secrets than the hotel they're staying in can hold. Darby is aware of her beauty, but not vain enough to indulge it. She ran away from the beauty and lies she'd believed for so long and I loved that Jamie McGuire wrote her in such a smart way, showing that she recognized that the past couldn't be repeated anymore. Her strength, especially in working her way from nothing to something was empowering to read, even if sometimes I rolled my eyes at her silliness. For someone who does not like people with roles in military or public safety she certainly picked the wrong spot to land, but I liked that in time she opened up to the firefighters and to Trex. Trex is handsome, an alpha, and almost too sweet to believe. His faith in the one is so cute, but also difficult to imagine. I can see why girls, including his own sister, are so wary of his steadfast believe that he'd just find her and know. Of course, once he shows his true colors to Darby I fell in love right alongside her. The connection they have is instant, like two magnets drawn to one another.
The storyline was exactly what I expected, with Darby being pregnant and running from an abusive ex-fiance only to find herself meeting a guy that makes her believe in love again. While nothing was a big surprise for me, I still really enjoyed the read. Jamie McGuire knows how to tell a story, weaving in the character's pasts and several secondary characters to make it well rounded. We get to know the hotel staff, the hotshot firefighters hoping to save the mountainside, and Trex's rowdy team, who I want to see more of by the way. We know all the secrets before the characters do though, so I found myself begging Trex to reveal his and Darby to be reasonable. It can't always go my way though, I know. There is a lot of descriptive filler and dialogue to this book though, be prepared, especially if you aren't a fan of religion in books. For me it didn't bother me, but I admit it does standout a lot in the chapters where it is discussed. That said, it makes the characters who they are and I liked their differences, and I really liked their ability to love through those differences. The two share more than lust, making them a couple that you truly can picture together. Finally the part you're waiting for, I know you're all dying to know about the Maddox brothers' roles in this book and let me tell you, the story alone is fantastic, but seeing the brothers again makes it even better. We get quite a bit of interactions with them, thank you Jamie McGuire, and their roles are important to the story which I appreciated.
Emotional and complex, From Here to You is a stunning new release from Jamie McGuire. Tackling difficult subject matter like abuse and secrets in relationships seems to be McGuire forte and I liked the realness in this book. I rooted for Darby, fell in love with Trex, and clung to every word in this novel hoping that the things they didn't know wouldn't be their downfall. Whether you're a longtime McGuire fan or this is your first book, From Here to You is sure to keep your attention from start to finish.
ARC provided.
November 12, 2018
RECENSIONE QUI: https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/...
Per chi ha amato la storia dei fratelli Maddox, sicuramente amerà anche questa storia in egual modo. Jamie McGuire ha la capacità di dare spazio ai dettagli e sono proprio questi piccoli dettagli a fare la differenza. Darby Dixon è una dolce ragazza che dal Texas fugge dalle menzogne in cui ha creduto a lungo per ricominciare da capo in un nuovo Stato. Arriva in Colorado e qui accetta un lavoro come receptionist in un hotel. Sa che la strada sarà tutta in salita e che ci sarà un futuro migliore per lei lontano dall’uomo che non l’ha mai amata davvero. Darby è forte, determinata, una vera donna in cui rispecchiarsi, è una che non molla mai e che dopo averne sopportate tante, decide di prendere una saggia decisione per vivere meglio ed essere felice. Non cerca un altro uomo in questa fase della sua vita, dal momento che ha già troppe preoccupazioni e non è una damigella in pericolo, ma ciò non vuol dire che l’affascinante Scott Trexler non veda in lei la bellezza e non voglia proteggerla. Trex cambia tutti i piani di Darby. Lui è pericoloso e misterioso. Trex vuole darle tutto, anche se non può rivelarle il suo vero lavoro perché ha paura di dirle la verità e non può darle una ragione per scappare. Il lato attento e protettivo di Trex è un altro fattore che contribuisce a coinvolgere Darby e soprattutto il lettore. La sua vicinanza le fa desiderare il suo tocco e la sua presenza più di qualsiasi altra cosa. Quando Trex incontra Darby sa esattamente che è lei la sua vera e unica anima gemella che ha cercato per tutta la vita. Tuttavia, Darby sa che insieme bruceranno inevitabilmente. Ma quando torna il passato di Darby, Trex sa che non deve perdere il controllo e deve proteggerla a tutti i costi. Jamie McGuire ha creato una protagonista intelligente e caparbia che dimostra di riconoscere che il passato non può più essere ripetuto. Darby è il personaggio con cui sono entrata in sintonia sin da subito: è facile immedesimarsi in lei, l’ho ammirata per la sua forza di lasciare tutto, di staccarsi da un passato crudele e di andare a cercarsi la felicità che merita. Mi sono innamorata di Trex, del suo silenzio e controllo ma anche della sua dolcezza e premura e del suo lato vulnerabile che non ha paura di mostrare a Darby. Il loro rapporto mi ha ricordato in molti punti la storia di Abby e Travis: mentre la storia di questi ultimi è drammatica e angosciosa, la relazione di Darby e Trex è più una coperta calda e sicura che ti avvolge. L’autrice sa come raccontare una storia intrecciando il passato dei personaggi e quelli dei personaggi secondari. Incontriamo nuovamente i fratelli Maddox: la storia è fantastica da sola, ma vedere di nuovo i fratelli che ci hanno emozionato nelle precedenti storie della McGuire, rende ancora migliore la vicenda. Mi sono piaciute le differenze tra i due personaggi e la loro capacità di amarsi. La storia è unica non solo perché abbiamo un eroe che è favorevole sin dall’inizio ad una relazione con l’eroina, mentre quest’ultima non è ancora pronta. Ciò infatti non accade spesso nei romanzi visto che nella maggior parte è l’eroina che aspetta l’eroe…
CONTINUA SUL NSOTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
Per chi ha amato la storia dei fratelli Maddox, sicuramente amerà anche questa storia in egual modo. Jamie McGuire ha la capacità di dare spazio ai dettagli e sono proprio questi piccoli dettagli a fare la differenza. Darby Dixon è una dolce ragazza che dal Texas fugge dalle menzogne in cui ha creduto a lungo per ricominciare da capo in un nuovo Stato. Arriva in Colorado e qui accetta un lavoro come receptionist in un hotel. Sa che la strada sarà tutta in salita e che ci sarà un futuro migliore per lei lontano dall’uomo che non l’ha mai amata davvero. Darby è forte, determinata, una vera donna in cui rispecchiarsi, è una che non molla mai e che dopo averne sopportate tante, decide di prendere una saggia decisione per vivere meglio ed essere felice. Non cerca un altro uomo in questa fase della sua vita, dal momento che ha già troppe preoccupazioni e non è una damigella in pericolo, ma ciò non vuol dire che l’affascinante Scott Trexler non veda in lei la bellezza e non voglia proteggerla. Trex cambia tutti i piani di Darby. Lui è pericoloso e misterioso. Trex vuole darle tutto, anche se non può rivelarle il suo vero lavoro perché ha paura di dirle la verità e non può darle una ragione per scappare. Il lato attento e protettivo di Trex è un altro fattore che contribuisce a coinvolgere Darby e soprattutto il lettore. La sua vicinanza le fa desiderare il suo tocco e la sua presenza più di qualsiasi altra cosa. Quando Trex incontra Darby sa esattamente che è lei la sua vera e unica anima gemella che ha cercato per tutta la vita. Tuttavia, Darby sa che insieme bruceranno inevitabilmente. Ma quando torna il passato di Darby, Trex sa che non deve perdere il controllo e deve proteggerla a tutti i costi. Jamie McGuire ha creato una protagonista intelligente e caparbia che dimostra di riconoscere che il passato non può più essere ripetuto. Darby è il personaggio con cui sono entrata in sintonia sin da subito: è facile immedesimarsi in lei, l’ho ammirata per la sua forza di lasciare tutto, di staccarsi da un passato crudele e di andare a cercarsi la felicità che merita. Mi sono innamorata di Trex, del suo silenzio e controllo ma anche della sua dolcezza e premura e del suo lato vulnerabile che non ha paura di mostrare a Darby. Il loro rapporto mi ha ricordato in molti punti la storia di Abby e Travis: mentre la storia di questi ultimi è drammatica e angosciosa, la relazione di Darby e Trex è più una coperta calda e sicura che ti avvolge. L’autrice sa come raccontare una storia intrecciando il passato dei personaggi e quelli dei personaggi secondari. Incontriamo nuovamente i fratelli Maddox: la storia è fantastica da sola, ma vedere di nuovo i fratelli che ci hanno emozionato nelle precedenti storie della McGuire, rende ancora migliore la vicenda. Mi sono piaciute le differenze tra i due personaggi e la loro capacità di amarsi. La storia è unica non solo perché abbiamo un eroe che è favorevole sin dall’inizio ad una relazione con l’eroina, mentre quest’ultima non è ancora pronta. Ciò infatti non accade spesso nei romanzi visto che nella maggior parte è l’eroina che aspetta l’eroe…
CONTINUA SUL NSOTRO BLOG. VENITE A TROVARCI
https://thereadingslove.blogspot.com/
July 30, 2018
"From Here to You" is supposed to be the start to a new series by Jamie McGuire. It's about Darby, who escapes an abusive fiancé on her wedding day. She ends up in a hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado where she works the front desk and meets Scott 'Trex' Trexler. This had the potential to be a great story but unfortunately it fell short.
Even though this book is the start of a new series I kept feeling like I was missing something. Characters were popping up with no introduction, backstory, or development and they are all immediate best friends with Darby even though as far as I can tell this was the first time they met.
The very beginning of the book, and the last 10-15% is the only true story we get about Darby and Trex. The middle section/majority of the book there's no development, just a reunion of people from previous books with no lead in to who those people are.
Fans of the author are probably going to love seeing characters who I assume are from previous books, while those new to the author are going to be left confused, shaking their head, and wondering who the story was actually supposed to be about.
I don't recommend this book unless you've read enough of Jamie McGuire's previous books to make sense of the confusing character parade.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Even though this book is the start of a new series I kept feeling like I was missing something. Characters were popping up with no introduction, backstory, or development and they are all immediate best friends with Darby even though as far as I can tell this was the first time they met.
The very beginning of the book, and the last 10-15% is the only true story we get about Darby and Trex. The middle section/majority of the book there's no development, just a reunion of people from previous books with no lead in to who those people are.
Fans of the author are probably going to love seeing characters who I assume are from previous books, while those new to the author are going to be left confused, shaking their head, and wondering who the story was actually supposed to be about.
I don't recommend this book unless you've read enough of Jamie McGuire's previous books to make sense of the confusing character parade.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 5, 2018
This was one book that I was so excited to read after I received an arc. Something made me wait and push it back on my list. Now I know why.
Nothing about this story was appealing, the characters were dull, and it was about two hundred pages too long. No matter how many pages that I’ve read, it felt as if thirty more were added. It was never ending.
The first ten pages pulled me in and I couldn’t read that fast enough and that was it for the entire story. Nothing worthwhile happened and it was actually painful to read. Not due to some horrific scenes but that it put me to sleep.
Just for the record, it took too long for them to hook up and it was nothing spectacular. There’s nothing like anticipating something powerful and it turns out to be yawningly boring. Ugh!!
I’m saddened that I actually wasted my time on this and I’m begging you to not waste yours. I bared the pain for you. You’re welcome!
Nothing about this story was appealing, the characters were dull, and it was about two hundred pages too long. No matter how many pages that I’ve read, it felt as if thirty more were added. It was never ending.
The first ten pages pulled me in and I couldn’t read that fast enough and that was it for the entire story. Nothing worthwhile happened and it was actually painful to read. Not due to some horrific scenes but that it put me to sleep.
Just for the record, it took too long for them to hook up and it was nothing spectacular. There’s nothing like anticipating something powerful and it turns out to be yawningly boring. Ugh!!
I’m saddened that I actually wasted my time on this and I’m begging you to not waste yours. I bared the pain for you. You’re welcome!
August 21, 2018
From here to You is the newest Jamie McGuire romance and fans of her Maddox brothers will love this! Let me start with the things that bothered me. Why you ask? Because I still loved this book regardless!
Darby is one of those girls that is so beautiful, everyone wants her. I'm kind of tired of this too gorgeous heroine. I am over the author constantly pointing out how pretty and desired the heroine is. Its shallow and vapid.
Why are characters so against letting someone help them? I understand the fear that getting help will allow someone else to control you, but I think stories like this send a bad message to women in abusive situations. Trying to get away without support is dangerous. There are so many amazing agencies that do amazing work. When authors write a heroine who eschews any and all support, they are putting women in danger.
Ok, so now that I have mentioned my irritation, let me share why I liked the book despite that! I love the girl on the run trope. Darby is running from an abusive fiancee who doesn't know she is pregnant yet. She runs to Colorado Springs and accepts a job as a night desk clerk at a hotel. Filled with "hotshots" who are fighting the wildfires, she meets Trex. Trex has a top secret job that he can't share with anyone. So, he lets everything think he is one of the government agency guys here for the fire effort. Trex knows that Darby is "the one" for him right away. But what can he do? Once she finds out he is ex-military, she will bolt.
If you enjoyed the angsty Maddox series, you will love From Here to You. Filled with that same angst, the love story between Darby and Trex is push/pull. She isn't going to trust easy, and Trex has lots of secrets. Throw in jealous former lovers and an abusive ex-fiancee and you have plenty of drama to keep you going! Also, there is a very interesting dichotomy between Trex's religious beliefs (atheist) and Darby's (Christian). I though McGuire did a marvelous job of showing why each character believed what they did and how to appropriately handle differences in religion in a relationship. It was very well done and she blended it seamlessly into the story. Finally, I love that Trex was the one who was looking for "the one". I thought it was incredible that he had been talking about her to friends and family since high school. It made Trex, despite his flaws, a very swoonworthy hero. I'm also still really curious about what in the hell is going on at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex and hope it will be further explored in future books!
POV: dual 1st
Tears: yes
Trope: on the run
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: stand alone
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Lead Me Home by AL Jackson, True to You by Jennifer Ryan, Survive the Night by Katie Ruggle, Ultimate Sacrifice by KC Lynn...then you will probably like From Here to You!
From Here to You
August 31, 2018
Grade: D
Darby Dixon makes a run for the border when she discovers she’s pregnant on her wedding day. Unable to face being tied permanently to her abusive fiance, she leaves and reinvents herself as a young single mother in a small Colorado town. Picking up a job at a local hotel, she meets a man who reminds her too much of her fiance and vows to stay away but what Scott Trexler, former Marine and top security specialist wants…he gets. And he wants Darby. As Trex struggles to prove to Darby they were meant for one another, there is someone stalking Darby from afar. Someone who also wants Darby back and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
If you have read McGuire’s Maddox Brothers series then you almost for sure know how this story goes. The first in a new series, Crash and Burn, a beautiful troubled woman meets a gorgeous alpha male with a warrior complex who falls instantly in love with her and does whatever possible to make her his. I found myself torn while reading the book. I liked the subplots; Darby’s issues with her abusive ex-fiance and uninterested mother, her job at the hotel, and Trex’s secret new job. I just wasn’t a fan of the romance. Insta love bore me to death. It was predictable, cliched, and overly melodramatic. The religion overtones felt like McGuire was trying to shove a square peg into a round hole and seemed more a way to assure us of Darby’s purity than anything else. Add in the clunky dialogue and obnoxious characters and I was left rather uninspired by it all.
Darby Dixon makes a run for the border when she discovers she’s pregnant on her wedding day. Unable to face being tied permanently to her abusive fiance, she leaves and reinvents herself as a young single mother in a small Colorado town. Picking up a job at a local hotel, she meets a man who reminds her too much of her fiance and vows to stay away but what Scott Trexler, former Marine and top security specialist wants…he gets. And he wants Darby. As Trex struggles to prove to Darby they were meant for one another, there is someone stalking Darby from afar. Someone who also wants Darby back and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
If you have read McGuire’s Maddox Brothers series then you almost for sure know how this story goes. The first in a new series, Crash and Burn, a beautiful troubled woman meets a gorgeous alpha male with a warrior complex who falls instantly in love with her and does whatever possible to make her his. I found myself torn while reading the book. I liked the subplots; Darby’s issues with her abusive ex-fiance and uninterested mother, her job at the hotel, and Trex’s secret new job. I just wasn’t a fan of the romance. Insta love bore me to death. It was predictable, cliched, and overly melodramatic. The religion overtones felt like McGuire was trying to shove a square peg into a round hole and seemed more a way to assure us of Darby’s purity than anything else. Add in the clunky dialogue and obnoxious characters and I was left rather uninspired by it all.
October 3, 2018
Truth: This read like a choppy old western.
I had to constantly remind myself this was a contemporary fiction and not based somewhere in the 1800s or whatever.
It felt choppy and dislocated, all jagged edges. The fact that this was my first Jamie McGuire turned out to be an issue (when it shouldn't have been) what with all the name dropping.
I just couldn't keep track of all the characters that kept showing up. My head's still reeling from that overdose.
After the 75% mark (I'm super surprised I lasted that long) I just skimmed the rest of it.
Check out my friend Elise's review, for everything I wanna say but lack patience for.
I had to constantly remind myself this was a contemporary fiction and not based somewhere in the 1800s or whatever.
It felt choppy and dislocated, all jagged edges. The fact that this was my first Jamie McGuire turned out to be an issue (when it shouldn't have been) what with all the name dropping.
I just couldn't keep track of all the characters that kept showing up. My head's still reeling from that overdose.
After the 75% mark (I'm super surprised I lasted that long) I just skimmed the rest of it.
Check out my friend Elise's review, for everything I wanna say but lack patience for.
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 9, 2018Copy received for an honest review
This was a quick DNF for me.
2 chapters in and I remembered why I haven't read a Jamie McGuire book for years. It took me only that long to be annoyed by the writing, the characters, everything about it.
This was a big ol' nope from me
This was a quick DNF for me.
2 chapters in and I remembered why I haven't read a Jamie McGuire book for years. It took me only that long to be annoyed by the writing, the characters, everything about it.
This was a big ol' nope from me
August 21, 2018
"I have a long, bad history with jerks," she said.
"I can pretend to be one long enough to get your attention."
"You have it."
The contemporary romance queen is back and armed with your next book boyfriend. From Here To You exceeded all my expectations, and it even brought back the same feelings I experienced while reading Beautiful Disaster.
In signature McGuire style, the story picks up right in the middle of a crisis. The struggle is there, the choices to be made are not easy, and the consequences could be devastating, but staying is not an option. Our leading lady, Darby Dixon, was downright amazing. Her inner strength and loving spirit kept her softhearted and humble, but the abuse she had endured hardened her heart and matured her standers for love. Her personal growth was a beautiful journey to read about and had me tearing up at times. Trex, on the other hand, was such a surprise. He's a different kind of alpha-male. He's quiet and controlled with a take-no-shit demeanor, but around Darby, he's sweet, caring, and not afraid to show his vulnerable side. He was honest and loyal, steadfast and strong, and was very open with his intentions toward Darby.
Normally, insta-love makes me roll my eyes, but while some may say this could be qualified as insta-love, I would have to disagree. Yes, Trex was very open with his feelings, falling hard and fast; however, Darby's hesitancy to start a new relationship, saved it. That hesitancy caused tension, angst, passion, and a push-and-pull that gets me every time. Their relationship was mature and sweet. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Abby and Travis, but with a refined and polished edge. Where Abby and Travis' relationship was filled with college drama and angst, Darby and Trex's relationship was warm and safe. McGuire masterfully transformed those quiet, intimate moments, that could be easily overlooked, into major focal points in their relationship. I think that's what's missing in romance right now. We all want major conflict or tragic events to occur, but what stands out, to me, is when an author can turn the little things into the big things. It's the little details that build a story, and Jamie has perfected that craft.
From Here To You was just... *dreamy sigh* SO GOOD. It's a feeling I can't really describe or give justice to, so I'm just going to say read it and experience it all on your own. It's a journey that I could not pull myself away from, and I hope, when you read it because you should, that you feel the same.
XX,
Jennifer
"I can pretend to be one long enough to get your attention."
"You have it."
The contemporary romance queen is back and armed with your next book boyfriend. From Here To You exceeded all my expectations, and it even brought back the same feelings I experienced while reading Beautiful Disaster.
In signature McGuire style, the story picks up right in the middle of a crisis. The struggle is there, the choices to be made are not easy, and the consequences could be devastating, but staying is not an option. Our leading lady, Darby Dixon, was downright amazing. Her inner strength and loving spirit kept her softhearted and humble, but the abuse she had endured hardened her heart and matured her standers for love. Her personal growth was a beautiful journey to read about and had me tearing up at times. Trex, on the other hand, was such a surprise. He's a different kind of alpha-male. He's quiet and controlled with a take-no-shit demeanor, but around Darby, he's sweet, caring, and not afraid to show his vulnerable side. He was honest and loyal, steadfast and strong, and was very open with his intentions toward Darby.
Normally, insta-love makes me roll my eyes, but while some may say this could be qualified as insta-love, I would have to disagree. Yes, Trex was very open with his feelings, falling hard and fast; however, Darby's hesitancy to start a new relationship, saved it. That hesitancy caused tension, angst, passion, and a push-and-pull that gets me every time. Their relationship was mature and sweet. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Abby and Travis, but with a refined and polished edge. Where Abby and Travis' relationship was filled with college drama and angst, Darby and Trex's relationship was warm and safe. McGuire masterfully transformed those quiet, intimate moments, that could be easily overlooked, into major focal points in their relationship. I think that's what's missing in romance right now. We all want major conflict or tragic events to occur, but what stands out, to me, is when an author can turn the little things into the big things. It's the little details that build a story, and Jamie has perfected that craft.
From Here To You was just... *dreamy sigh* SO GOOD. It's a feeling I can't really describe or give justice to, so I'm just going to say read it and experience it all on your own. It's a journey that I could not pull myself away from, and I hope, when you read it because you should, that you feel the same.
XX,
Jennifer
November 7, 2018
Se supone que como leí toda la saga de beautiful disaster debería saber quien es Trex pero en serio ¿separan que recuerde a los personajes secundarios de los 11 libros anteriores?
Hay pequeñas apariciones de Taylor y Tayler pero nada nuevo por aportar a sus historias.
Darby me desesperaba mucho y nunca terminaron de contar su pasado y ¿que demonios estaba pasando en el complejo militar?
Hay pequeñas apariciones de Taylor y Tayler pero nada nuevo por aportar a sus historias.
Darby me desesperaba mucho y nunca terminaron de contar su pasado y ¿que demonios estaba pasando en el complejo militar?
June 10, 2019
DNF
There was no warning about the whole God and faith-thing, which I think there should have been, because I would not have bought it then.
There was no warning about the whole God and faith-thing, which I think there should have been, because I would not have bought it then.
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