Oliver (This Is Our Life, #3)

by F G Adams

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

When deciding to read a book there are three things I take into consideration, the cover, the synopsis and the author. Now when this book came on my radar, the things that grabbed me was the cover and the synopsis as it would be my first time reading the author's work. At the time I made my decision I did not realise that it was a part of a series, I guess that happens when book covers are distracting. However, assurance provided by the provider of the book indicated that it was a stand-alone read. To be honest, it can be read in that manner, but, I felt like I was missing something, which probably would be revealed by reading the previous books. This belief stemmed from my inability to connect with the main characters. Seeing that the story was told from both their POVs, I was expecting to connect with them on a deep level. This, however, was not the case. Oliver Bishop is in mourning and has been this way for six years until the photograph of a woman had him believing in second chances. He is determined to rescue her, even if it meant she felt she did not need rescuing. Fallyn Blackwood, the young woman in the photo has been on the run for the past fifteen years. She escaped an abusive relationship and her main concern was protecting her daughter, who was a product of that union. Therefore, a stranger coming to her rescue is not something she will entertain in spite of their sizzling chemistry. Sounds good right? Well from the perspective of the premise, I would say yes, but that is where it ends.I could not wrap my head around several things. First, I found it strange that it took the photograph of a beautiful woman to make the Oliver cease mourning the loss of his fiancée. Second, he never knew her, yet he fell in love with her even before he met her in person. Third, I had issues with how Fallyn placed her trust in Oliver so soon after meeting him. Mind you, this was before she knew his agenda. Given her situation, I would expect her to be wary, especially as it relates to her daughter. Then what I found even more disturbing is the speed in which she fell in love. After her experience with her ex, I would have expected her to be cautious in the relationship department.Another issue I had was that details about the demons that plagued them both were not mentioned until around 70% of the story. By that time it was too late for me to empathise with them. I felt that having this information earlier would have helped me to understand their pain and suffering allowing me to connect with them.The writing style was good, and it played a role in my completing the story in spite of the noted issues. I found the dialogue between Oliver and his friend entertaining. The pacing was fine for the most part, however after the main aspect of the story was resolved it became painfully slow. I found the dialogue between Oliver and Fallyn cheesy at times. There were times when I could not help but roll my eyes at their interaction.VerdictThis story had potential. A great storyline and characters who had the potential to make an impact. The romance lacked adequate development. The instant love connection did not work in this scenario and it played a part in the characters not making an impact. However, if you want to take a chance on this book, don’t let my views sway you from doing so. Who knows you may just find a gem.