Thank you for stopping by. Today's snippet reveals Callie's growing attraction to Mac Caldwell, Dean of Students at Kensington State University. Shy Callie Richards finds she can't resist him.
While Callie refused to admit to herself how much she was attracted to Mac, she spent more
time applying makeup, doing her hair and dressing before she went to work. Though she tried to rationalize it as professionalism, she knew she was drawn to this warm, handsome, smart man.
She wanted to be close to him and couldn't resist finding a reason to be in the file room when he was there. Once she actually bumped into him, by accident. He put an arm around her to keep her from falling and she thought it was heavenly.
Eliza and Mac seem very friendly. Callie couldn't tell if they had worked together for a long time or if they were dating. She reminded herself it was no concern of hers. Still, she found herself watching Mac. She liked the way his suit jacket pulled slightly across his broad shoulders and the way his arms looked when he rolled up his sleeves on warm days. She felt heat from him, always conscious of his presence, sensing he was there, even if her back was turned. A little chill went up her spine when he came up behind her.
Bittersweet tale March 8, 2012 At the very beginning, the heart of this book exudes a sort of melancholy feeling. Callie is dealing with the grief from the death of her fiance. We learn a lot about her childhood and the things that she had to go through as she was growing up. Her childhood was not an easy or happy one. Consequently, it seemed and felt to her like Kyle was all she had. When he died, she was devastated. In the midst of the grief, she has decided that it's time to move on with her life, but she still has trouble letting go of Kyle.
Callie is a quiet girl that stays to herself. She is believable in her grief and the way she relives things, not wanting to let them go and afraid she will forget. I enjoyed her as a character, as I did most of the characters from this book. Mac is just trying to deal with his life, not really looking to get involved with anyone. The fact that it is a relationship that is not sought out by either party seems to make the feelings more real.
The biggest problem I had with this book is only that the author did such a fantastic job of making Kyle such a great guy, to make him worthy of the level of grief Callie was feeling even after such a long time (I'm assuming), that by the time I met Mac I didn't care about him. I wanted Kyle! Even after a few chapters of Callie and Mac, and even rooting for them to get together on one level, I found myself still hoping that the military made a mistake and Kyle would come walking in. I will say that Callie's relationship with Mac was probably healthier. She had grown and matured a little more by the time she got involved with him, so he wasn't her entire life the way Kyle was. She was more her own person by this time, with her own identity.
The different things that are dealt with in this book are portrayed very well and realistically. The levels of grief, trying to move on without forgetting, becoming your own, independent person apart from the grief and the person that you are grieving are all a part of the story, but not overwhelmingly so. I loved the box of Kyle's things that Callie keeps, and Mac's reaction to it when he finds it. I could see myself doing something like that in Callie's place.
A very bittersweet love story that will take you through the whole spectrum of emotions. I found myself proud of Callie by the end, as though she was a friend I knew, rather than a character in a book. This is a great read - another win for Ms. Joachim.
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| Dean's office at Kensington State |
While Callie refused to admit to herself how much she was attracted to Mac, she spent more
time applying makeup, doing her hair and dressing before she went to work. Though she tried to rationalize it as professionalism, she knew she was drawn to this warm, handsome, smart man.
She wanted to be close to him and couldn't resist finding a reason to be in the file room when he was there. Once she actually bumped into him, by accident. He put an arm around her to keep her from falling and she thought it was heavenly.
Eliza and Mac seem very friendly. Callie couldn't tell if they had worked together for a long time or if they were dating. She reminded herself it was no concern of hers. Still, she found herself watching Mac. She liked the way his suit jacket pulled slightly across his broad shoulders and the way his arms looked when he rolled up his sleeves on warm days. She felt heat from him, always conscious of his presence, sensing he was there, even if her back was turned. A little chill went up her spine when he came up behind her.
I'd like to share a recent review for Now and Forever 1, a Love Story:
Laura reviewed Now and Forever 1 (A Love Story)
Bittersweet tale March 8, 2012 Callie is a quiet girl that stays to herself. She is believable in her grief and the way she relives things, not wanting to let them go and afraid she will forget. I enjoyed her as a character, as I did most of the characters from this book. Mac is just trying to deal with his life, not really looking to get involved with anyone. The fact that it is a relationship that is not sought out by either party seems to make the feelings more real.
The biggest problem I had with this book is only that the author did such a fantastic job of making Kyle such a great guy, to make him worthy of the level of grief Callie was feeling even after such a long time (I'm assuming), that by the time I met Mac I didn't care about him. I wanted Kyle! Even after a few chapters of Callie and Mac, and even rooting for them to get together on one level, I found myself still hoping that the military made a mistake and Kyle would come walking in. I will say that Callie's relationship with Mac was probably healthier. She had grown and matured a little more by the time she got involved with him, so he wasn't her entire life the way Kyle was. She was more her own person by this time, with her own identity.
The different things that are dealt with in this book are portrayed very well and realistically. The levels of grief, trying to move on without forgetting, becoming your own, independent person apart from the grief and the person that you are grieving are all a part of the story, but not overwhelmingly so. I loved the box of Kyle's things that Callie keeps, and Mac's reaction to it when he finds it. I could see myself doing something like that in Callie's place.
A very bittersweet love story that will take you through the whole spectrum of emotions. I found myself proud of Callie by the end, as though she was a friend I knew, rather than a character in a book. This is a great read - another win for Ms. Joachim.
BUY LINKS
Available in PAPERBACK too!
9 comments:
Ah, yes. I remember the passion for a man who doesn't know you're attracted to him. You've depicted the emotional and physical manifestations so very well. Excellent writing.
Awesome job of putting the reader in the middle of her feelings here. I think those moments of early attraction are familiar to most of us, and they are a great way of connecting readers to the story. Nicely done!
Felt connected to callie because of sharing her feelings. Nicely done.
Congratulations on the great reveiw too.
Callie and Mac sound like they are going to be a great couple to read about. Thanks for sharing!
You know I love this story.
She's got it back for him.
Nice view of a growing attraction. I wonder what he'll do to show his interest?
Very sweet sample. I too remember the feeling of being attracted to someone who doesn't know. I'd love to find out what happens next.
Rationalization can be so much fun. Sort of. Nicely done, Jean.
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