*I received a free copy of [title] from [publisher] via . This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *I expected to fall head over heels in love with Helping Her Remember - as I'm a huge fan of second chance romances. While I didn't completely succumb to its charm, I did enjoy this story, the setting, and the characters.
Story:
Helping Her Remember is Dylan and Kelly's story, the first book in the Crawford Falls series. And while I enjoyed getting to know both of the main characters and their friends, I wasn't completely wowed by them. I think it was partly because when Kelly left Dylan behind, she also brought a very big secret with her. I could partly understand her reasons for doing so . I also thought she could have gotten back to her hometown earlier than she did. Keeping a child from his father is not something I look on lightly, and it made me less open to Kelly.
I also found Kelly to be very indecisive, she wanted to tell Dylan everything, but didn't. She wanted to start over as friends, but was unable to keep a clear head around him. And I think the way she waffled and kept Dylan from the truth made her quite unlikeable. Dylan had completely turned his life around, going to AA meetings to stay sober. Keeping to himself. Caring for his ailing father with his brother's help. He deserved to know he had a son, and was more than ready to be a dad.
I really enjoyed the small town feel in Helping Her Remember, and I will definitely pick up the upcoming books in the series. I want to get to know the side characters better. See them find love, and their own happily ever after. And I also want to see how Dylan and Kelly deal with life as a couple, and as parents.
Characters:
Kelly has been raising her son on her own, with nobody knowing who his father is. And now that she is back home, she knows she has to deal with the past head on.
Dylan let the love of his life leave him in the dust. Partying, drinking, and sometimes hanging out with other girls made Kelly heartbroken.
Writing style :
Helping Her Remember is written in third person point of view, following Kelly and Dylan closely. The narration is in past tense and includes enough dialogues to get to know the characters well.
Feels :
While I felt all of Dylans hope, and Kelly's dreams, I was also a little bit frustrated because Kelly had such a hard time making up her mind about what she really wanted.
Although first and foremost, there was her son to consider. AJ was her number-one priority, and she'd never bing a man into their lives - even AJ's biological father - without ensuring her son's safety.
Holding a grudge? Not worth it. For sure, he'd missed out. He could be bitter. but Dylan knew it wouldn't buy him back that time with his son. And he wanted Kelly Anne in his life, too. all that resentment and anger would never give him either.
Helping Her Remember Giveaway:
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Helping Her Remember Excerpt:
About Kate Carley:
How Kate Carley went from majoring in mathematics and computer science in college to writing steamy contemporary romance still remains a mystery. She broke out into the indie publishing scene in 2015 with her debut novel, Challenged, a 2017 RONE award winner. Two more books completed her romantic suspense trilogy, Changing Krysset. With three published works under her belt, Kate is excited to launch her new contemporary romance series. Just like her first novels, the Crawford Falls series is set in a small town in Kate’s home state of Minnesota. When Kate isn’t busy at her desk writing, you’ll find her dreaming up new characters and plotting perfect ways to make their lives miserable before giving them their happily ever after.
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