Tag: PTSD

Home Sweet Love – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's MusingsLeave a comment

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Home Sweet Love by Ava Miles is the 10th book in the Dare Valley series. While it is not my favorite in the series, it was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Small lantern and burlap sack full of flowers w/ pine cones - book cover

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Red line with heart towards the left end (about an inch from the end)
©Graphic Garden

Synopsis

Hardened billionaire Chase Parker lost his home tragically at a young age. Will sweet and sassy businesswoman Moira Hale be able to convince him he can make a home with her and trust in something as sweet as love?

Stylized word "LOVE" with a heart in the middle of the O.
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Review

Moira and Chase are both strong, independent personalities. Watching them learn how to balance trust and love with still remaining independent was fascinating. I loved the fact that when Chase was opening up his heart and soul to Moira, she didn’t try to use platitudes or pat answers to make things better. Instead, she sat with him, held him when he cried, and was just there. As a survivor of trauma, I can testify that there is no better feeling than to have someone you love, whether relative, friend, or significant other, just be there. There’s no need for words or reassurance. There’s just a need to have someone to listen. That’s exactly what Moira does for Chase and it’s one of the greatest gifts she could give him.

Being back in the familiar setting of Dare Valley was lovely. When you read a book in a favorite series, it’s like “coming home” in a sense. This book was no exception to that. Similarly, it was great to see the majority of the extended Dare Valley family.

The only thing I didn’t like in this one is that I didn’t like how Evan was “handling” Chase. Forcing someone to face their past is not always a good thing; it’s easy for such “good intentions” to backfire and for the intended person to become even more embittered and hardened. Luckily, it worked out this time around and Chase was able to heal, not only from this newer trauma, but from the trauma in his earlier life.

As is usually the case, we got a “sneak peek” at the next book in the series by seeing interactions between the next couple to be featured. After seeing how J.T. & Caroline interacted together, I’m very excited for their book!

All-in-all, it was a great book and I highly recommend it!

** I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all opinions and conclusions are my own.**

Red line with heart towards the left end (about an inch from the end)
©Graphic Garden

The Promise of Rainbows – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's MusingsLeave a comment

5 out of 5 stars.

The Promise of Rainbows by Ava Miles - Pasture land scene with rainbow in sky

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A graphic rainbow between two clouds
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Synopsis

When military veteran and country music star Jake Lassiter hires Susannah McGuiness as his interior decorator, she has no idea he carries a secret so great it will change the love developing between them.

A graphic rainbow between two clouds
©Graphic Garden

Review

The Promise of Rainbows by Ava Miles is the fourth book in the Dare River series.

Wow. That pretty much sums up all my feelings as I finish of this latest offering from Ava Miles. Absolutely wow. This book was phenomenal.

Our hero Jake suffers from PTSD and is looking to find ways to cope. He’s already been through several therapists and different types of therapies, but in this book, he ends up working with Reverend Louisa, who we’ve met before in the other books in this series. Jake doesn’t believe there’s much hope, but working with Louisa, together with dating Louisa’s daughter, Susannah, he experiences breakthroughs like he never has before.

THIS book is what I was so hoping to see when Ms. Miles published “The Chocolate Garden”. This book accurately portrayed PTSD and the struggles that arise from it. Whereas I felt like “The Chocolate Garden” glossed over some of the difficulties of surviving domestic violence and entering into a new relationship after an abusive relationship, this book NAILED all the struggles and such that come with PTSD.  Jake’s feelings about himself and the brokenness he feels is all very indicative of what many PTSD sufferers feel. I know. I am one. The brokenness, the self-loathing, the feel that others are better off without being in a relationship with you, everything.

And yet, Susannah sees past all that and loves the man who Jake is, not all the lies that PTSD tells him about himself. He ends up seeing Susannah as his miracle, helping pull him out of himself and back into the world.   Each and every one of us has someone who either has worked such a miracle in our lives or who will work such a miracle one day. Not necessarily a romantic someone, but someone who pulls you up out of the depths when you can’t find the way out yourself. Even tho’ this is a romance book, the theme of having someone to lean on in the hardest of times is the main focus of the book.

It’s not an easy book to read given all of Jake’s struggles. If you struggle with PTSD yourself, like I do, you may find this book hitting very close to home. I certainly did. I cried more with this book than I have since The Bridge to a Better Life came out last spring. But it’s totally worth it. Take your time with the book, but read it. Give yourself breaks to process, but don’t hide from this book because of its subject matter. It’s too good to pass up.

The plot, the setting, the characters, everything about this book was phenomenal. One of Ms. Miles’ best books EVER. Read it. You won’t forget it or regret it.

(I received a free eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review. All conclusions are my own.)