Somewhere to Begin

by Mika Jolie

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Somewhere to Begin by Mika Jolie is the type of story that speaks to your heart. It had everything that I look for in a story. It was sexy, addictive, emotional and well written. You will not come away from this story feeling that you have lost precious time. Instead, you may come away wanting more of Colbie and Zander’s story.Colbie Bennington was born into a wealthy family. Her life, however, was not one that was filled with happiness. She never knew what it was like to receive affection from her parents. She grew up feeling unloved and unwanted. She tried to gain their affection by kowtowing to all their demands. When this did not achieve what she desired she went looking for affection elsewhere, which would prove to be a mistake as she ended up becoming a punching bag. She never once stood up for herself until her wedding day, when she made the decision to run from her miserable life and the people who were the centre of it. With no idea where she was going and what she was going to do she set out on a journey of re-discovery. Her only desire was to escape her demons and start afresh. What she never counted on was that her journey would set her on a collision course with true love. In the process, she would discover that escaping her demons was not the answer. She would have to face them head on if she wanted to enjoy her new lease on life.Zander Serrano has seen his fair share of horror while on tour of duty in Afghanistan. He returned home bearing the physical and emotional scars of his time spent on duty. He was a shell of the man he once was, but that would change the day Colbie literally crashed into his life.When I started this book I had no idea what to expect as the author is new to me. Now that I am at the end, I can honestly say she has found a new fan in me. This story evoked a variety of emotions within me. It made me cry for the pain the protagonists were feeling. I laughed at the rapport between Zander and his siblings. I was frustrated with Colbie and her refusal to deal with her situation head on and I was angry with the way her family treated her.It was a joy watching these two damaged souls recognizing that their journey to recovery was based on their willingness to accept that they had issues and that only they alone can take that step to save themselves from self-destruction. The support of family and friends is what makes the process bearable. I loved the way they supported each other which contributed to the healing process. I admired Colbie’s inner strength and determination. Starting over is never easy, but if we put our minds to it, we can achieve success, because whatever the mind can conceive it can achieve. Colbie was the perfect example of this.Somewhere to Begin is a story about love, loss and second chances. It’s about finding the courage to start over when things seem hopeless. This was a beautiful story and one which I highly recommend.FAVOURITE QUOTES“The thing is I’m not looking for someone to save me,” she continued, her face to the ocean. “I’d much rather have someone stand by my side as I save myself.”“You must understand that fear has two meanings. Forget everything and run, or face everything and rise. The choice is yours.”