Forged Tour Stop!

What happens when the lines of love and friendship are blurred?

After discovering a heart shattering secret Elora Gerent collects the fragments of her life, and returns home in hopes of finding a way to put them all together. What she didn't expect to find was her sexy playboy neighbor Thane.

Thane has shards of his own that he's left with to reassemble. Never did he imagine that the wholesome girl next door would make him even want to try. On the Eve of his fourth deployment a hope is crushed and they part on bad terms.

When a dreaded phone call reaches Elora she realizes that the frame is always bigger than its picture.

Will Thane and Elora remain fragments of who they are, or will they forge the shattered shards?

With a name like “Thane”, you expect a lot from a guy.  Mysterious, cocky, manly and commanding are what I’d expect…and it’s pretty much what I got!  I’m a Thane fan.

Elora was engaged to her high school sweetheart.  After they break up, she seeks solace back with her Nana.  What she doesn’t know is that a hottie named Thane lives across the street.  She observes the mysterious Thane, discovering that among other things he has a penchant for bringing home a different lady friend every night.  Bow-chicka-wow-wow, Thane.  They are officially introduced one day at the grocery store, but that also happens to be a moment when Elora’s past rears its ugly head.  Thane saves her day, and then a friendship is forged between them.  Can they transition from friends to more?

I thought that the way this story is set up was really original.  First, you see the story through Elora’s POV, then Thane’s.  That added a lot of nuance to the story and when you get to Thane’s part it really fills in some holes. 

At first, I really wanted to NOT like Thane.  He’s kind of an asshole.  Yet, once you get to know him, you can’t help but love him. He has a past of his own and it helps to give his assholishness some perspective.  And Elora is a great character as well.  She kind of forgot who she was in being in a crap relationship for so long, and this is a story of her re-self-discovery as well as her learning to trust a man again.  It was emotional at times, and overall I identified a lot with her character. 

This is a short story and you will, I’m sure, read it in one sitting like I did.  For such a short story, it packs quite the punch emotionally.  It was sweet and a bit sexy and I was quite pleased with the end.  If you’re looking for an engrossing but short read, then get this book.  4 stars!

 

Elora had been publically humiliated by the man she was supposed to marry.  Being with him since high school the town and both families had already planned how many children they were going to have.  One night at dinner he had something to explain while Elora was wearing his engagement ring, but he didn’t have a chance to say anything before his wife walked in to confront Elora.

Needing a break from humanity she goes to her Grandma’s house for some alone time, to try and piece together her broken heart.  She sees the man across the street as he ushered a drunken woman in his house.  The next morning, she sees that woman get into a taxi after the walk of shame.  No, this isn’t what she needs in her life. 

Throughout the book we watch Elora and her neighbor Thane get to know each other, the push and pull of emotions between them.  Just when you think they might be making steps towards a relationship, something or someone steps in the way.  Thane is holding secrets, where he works, why he disappears for months at a time and how he received the injuries that prompted someone to call Elora to let her know. 

Elora needs to stop assuming every time something goes wrong between them, it is just another case of rejection from a man.  Finally by the end of the book we get a somewhat idea of what was holding him back from expressing his feelings for her.  The final gift he gives her lets her know her fears were not justified.

While this is a short story, I couldn’t give it more than 3 stars for a few reasons.  I don’t feel like the story was developed well.  While I know we found some answers, I am still left with more questions.  The rate that this story developed also limited how much we really could invest in the characters.  They always felt like they were just out of reach for our understanding.  Finally the thing that I really didn’t care for was the last half of the book was rewritten with the same events, sometimes word for word but through Thane’s point of view.  I found I lost interest in reading his views because it was merged in with a recount of what I had already just read. 

I won’t say this is a book that is not worth reading but it really didn’t fit my requirements for more than a 3 star review. If you are looking for a short love story without limited drama and action then you will find a great way to escape reality for a bit of time with this book.  

~THANE

The first time I set eyes on her, she was wearing a worn out T-shirt and sweats. Her black hair, pulled up in a messy bun atop her head and she was staring right at me trying to reel her tongue back in her mouth. She was beautiful, and I’m not talking about your typical aesthetic beautiful, I’m talking about real beauty. The kind that’s fresh faced, wholesome and with a body of curves. For the first time in a long time I feel that twinge of humanity flicker in my empty soul.

 

I'm a wife, mother and healthcare worker who is currently having a secret love affair with Starbucks coffee and Marble Loaf cake, we meet at least three times a week.

I'm also a crazy cat lady, I have two sphynx cats (yes the cats that have no hair) Sir Butterton Nugs & Le Sheik Meeko (aka The Booboo and the Meekee)

 

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