He Belongs to Me

by Theresa Rizzo

• ISBN10: 0989045005
• ISBN13: 9780989045001
• Publish Date: 1 July 2013 (first published 1 June 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Theresa Rizzo
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 379
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Caffeinated Summary:

Catherine and Thomas Boyd married young, suffered an unthinkable tragedy and separated. Catherine’s domineering parents convince her to give them “temporary custody” of her son while she gets her degree. Upon graduation Catherine is excited to finally be reunited with her son. Only her parents won’t relinquish him which forces Catherine to reunite with her estranged husband. Together they must fight to regain their son.

Caffeinated Opinions:

Characters: When I first started reading I honestly was afraid I wouldn’t be able to identify with Catherine or Thomas. As a mother, I could not fathom being separated from my child. This is where a lot of credit goes to the author. She made me understand where the characters were coming from. I rooted for them, admired their growth and wanted them to have their happily ever after. Drew, the child, caught in the middle of all this was sweet and his emotions just undid me. Catherine’s parents *shivers* were scary, powerful, controlling, cold and calculating. Yeah, I wanted to run them down with my HHR. I found myself getting angry and wanting to slap Catherine’s mother. Secondary characters added to the tale, moved the plot and helped us better understand characters.

Plot: He Belongs to Me offers a second chance romance, betrayal, family secrets and courtroom drama that had me flipping the pages. Rizzo did an excellent job of portraying both the characters and the court room battle. My heart was torn open for the child as the tension unfolded. The author realistically portrayed the characters exposing their flaws, hopes, fears and feelings. It was easy to pick sides, and I must admit I was on edge during the court case. I truly appreciated how well researched the story was and the natural ease in which it was told. From conversations to the courtroom, everything felt genuine. The plot was well paced and unpredictable with twist I honestly never saw coming.

Caffeinated Verdict:

He Belongs to Me was a captivating tale with fleshed out characters and an unpredictable plot that kept me engaged. Fans of chick-lit novels and family drama will enjoy this tale. Rizzo has a wonderful writing style and adds details and depth to her stories, making her an author whose work I would read again.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Cocktails and Books]

He Belongs to Me by Theresa Rizzo has all the makings of a good soap opera. After attending college Catherine Boyd believes she will be given back custody of the six year old son she allowed her parents to raise while away. Her parents are clearly enamored with their grandson and refuse to give Catherine back her son. With no other options left the young mother must obtain assistance from the estranged husband accused of killing Drew’s twin to fight for custody. What follows is a custody trial where secrets long kept in the dark come barreling to light and old wounds are brought back to the surface.

Although the book was a good read, I had a big issue the characters. Catherine is eighteen and Thomas, her husband, is twenty when Drew and his twin Bobby are born. When Bobby dies as a newborn the young couple is torn apart from the emotional strain that follows, leaving Drew in the care of his grandparents for almost five years. Although Catherine and Thomas may now be able to care for their son, they are really young to have to deal with such emotional issues from both their separation as well as the custody trial. This was an emotional read exploring the complex relationships among families with an ending that you didn’t see coming.

Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books