Stolen Soulmate (Crowne Point)

by Mary Catherine Gebhard

[Risa Nichols]

Review
This book … has absolutely, beyond a doubt, ruined me. Stolen Soulmate broke my heart, shattered my soul, gave me irreparable hope, and had me cursing the Crownes while simultaneously falling in love with Gray and wanting to slap him silly.

There’s so much I want to say about this book, but I’m going to attempt to keep it relatively vague and spoiler-free.

The Heroine
Story (short for Storybook–seriously, one of the best character names ever) is one of my favorite heroines I’ve “met.” She’s strong, vulnerable, doesn’t take shit from Gray, and has a wealth of love and loyalty for those she loves. Story’s persona in Heartless Hero is incredibly deceiving. She comes across as so quiet and meek that you don’t get an accurate glimpse into who she truly is … then when you get to know her in Stolen Soulmate, you realize just how many facets there are to her personality.

The Hero
What is there to say about the infamous, cocky playboy Grayson Crowne? He’s so much more than the public persona he wears like armor. There’s so much more depth to him than what I expected. Honestly, I had major reservations about Gray–especially after seeing what a jerk he was in Heartless Hero. If there’s one thing I’m learning about Mary‘s characters, though, it’s that you’ve got to give them a chance before you totally dismiss them. Sure, there are some things that are pretty much unforgivable, but there’s always a calculated reason behind the action.

Bullet Points
*After finishing the first book, I began to think the Crowne matriarch was somewhat redeemable, but now that I’ve read Stolen Soulmate, I’m not so sure.
*These books make me so thankful that I’m not some sort of rich heiress. It may look like these people have everything, but the lack of freedom is horrid.
*I can’t wait to read more about Gemma and Grim. I’m so intrigued by these two!
*I’ve already mentioned this once, but it’s worth mentioning again–I love Story’s name!

Conclusion
I honestly can’t remember the last time a book jumped out at me with so many twists, broke my heart, and left me a devastated, hopeful mess. I’m not sure how Ms. Gebhard is going to go on from here, but if anyone can pull it together, it’s her. I can’t wait for the next books in this series!

This book comes out on the 27th, so make sure you pre-order it so you can start reading ASAP!

Happy reading!

Original review: Alated Bibliophile's review of Stolen Soulmate