The Bookish Babe is one of today's stops on My Unexpected Forever Blog Tour. The tour is hosted by GCR Promotions.
Series: Beaumont #2
Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 9/2/13
Format: eARC
Source: Received from author for review
Rating: 4 stars
I expected a life of music.
I expected to raise my son.
It took one look to make everything change.
I never expected happiness.
I never expected to find her.
I never expected to feel desire.
I never expected I’d be a family man.
I never expected to be loved.
I never expected to fall in love.
They say you should expect the unexpected, I didn’t realize my unexpected would be the forever kind.
Late last year I fell in love with a story, Forever My Girl. In that story, rock star Liam returned to his hometown to help lay his best friend Mason to rest, ended up reconnecting with his former girlfriend and found a forever love. Liam began making his life in Beaumont, and this drew his band mate Harrison to town. What we might suspect in Forever My Girl is that Harrison is quickly falling for Mason 's widow Katelyn. The happiness, anguish, and guilt of a new love after tragedy is at the heart of My Unexpected Forever.
If you don't know this by now, here's something that fairly obvious: I am a big crybaby. You give me a love story that involves second chances or love after loss - among other things - and I will be completely on board, reading with one hand, wiping tears with the other. I will eventually lose it, which usually involves me doing the ugly cry at 1am, trying not to wake anyone up. This is what happened with My Unexpected Forever. My biggest fear, other than something happening to my kids, is losing the man I've been with since I was eighteen years old.
Through Katelyn's story, McLaughlin conveyed the horror and despair of what I would imagine it's like to lose the person you've loved what seems like your whole life. She didn't gloss over Katelyn's mourning and feelings of despair, guilt, and being overwhelmed. The struggles of learning to go on, and raise children without their father. Though I've never been in her situation, I could identify with her feeling and with her struggle to balance being a mom with being a woman.
But My Unexpected Forever is not only Katelyn's story, but also Harrison's. Harrison James is a drummer in a famous rock band, and a single father. I love that McLaughlin balanced his quiet but confident rocker persona with a man who's never been in love - save his son - and who has feelings of inadequacy. The way he loved and cared for his son made my heart squeeze. The way he loved and cared for Katelyn and her daughters made my heart flutter. In this story, Harrison shines. He is a brilliant example of the type of man and father that makes readers swoon.
My Unexpected Forever had a bit of a slower pace, but in this case, it's not only necessary, but it works. Grief and love have stages. Learning to move on isn't a giant leap, but many, many small steps, sometimes back. I loved that McLaughlin takes us back in time in Katelyn's life, to significant moments in Katelyn's and Harrison's life so that we know them completely. This is a story of second chances (Katelyn), first chances (Harrison), and the sad and beautiful parts of life.
Favorite Quotes:
"I know you've lost your husband. I know every day is a battle for you because you miss him. I'm not trying to take his place with you or the twins. I just want to fit into your life." ~eARC, 32%
"You're not what I thought you'd be," she says as her lips graze my neck. What I am is losing my resolve not to spin her around and watch her come undone from my touch. Her body is the one drumbeat I can't master, but I'll never give up trying. ~eARC, 65%
He looks delicious, edible. I have to tear my eyes away, demand that I focus on anything but him. He's a temptation. A risk. He's my reward. ~eARC, 68%
The Beaumont Series
(click on cover for GoodReads page)
Purchase My Unexpected Forever
About the author:
Connect with Heidi at:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads
TOUR SCHEDULE
August 26th
Happily Ever {Book} Hangover (http://happilyeverhungover.
August 27th
August 28th
August 29th
August 30th
Enticed by Books (http://enticedbybooks.
September 2nd
Chapter Break (http://www.chapterbreak.com/)
White Zin Bookends (http://www.whitezinbookends.
#BookNerd (http://booknerdash.blogspot.
September 3rd
Love Between The Sheets (http://www.readlovelust.com/)
September 4th
September 5th
The Bookish Babe (http://thebookishbabes.
September 6th
A Life Bound By Books (alifeboundbybooks.blogspot.
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I have heard so much about the first book although I haven't read it yet. It's definitely on my wish-list though. This sounds like such an intense read, Andrea. Exactly the kind of book I like to read from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a cry-baby when it comes to books with people losing their loved ones, so I can tell that I'll be crying too.
I must pick this one up as soon as possible.
Lovely review, Andrea!
I loved when we got to read Forever My Girl together. We were on a good run of reading books together at that time and that one was a golden pick. I really liked meeting Harrison in that one and look forward to reading this book. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI have seen a couple reviews for this book and everyone seem to be enjoying it. I still haven't read the first one but I hope I'll get a chance to read it. Great review Andrea :)
ReplyDeleteI have seen a lof of great reviews for this series and I do love the covers. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI just bought the first one so I didn't read your review yet! I love the covers for the books.
ReplyDeleteI really liked Forever my Girl too. I am such a crybaby with books too but I have to be in the mood to read a sadder book. Sometimes it bums me out and sometimes I can really appreciate the beauty in them. This is def a series that I am interested in continuing.
ReplyDeletethanks for the great review :)
Michelle @ Book Briefs
Love male POV stories, its so much richer sometimes. And this Harrison (love the name) is my guy. A single dad?! DILF!
ReplyDeleteWow! You nailed this review! I'm a crybaby too when It comes to emotional love stories! This series sounds so good, and you have me wanting to read it! Excellent Review & Awesome Quotes! Thanks so much for sharing friend!
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
Awesome review. I have the first book in this series. Now I really want to get started on it.
ReplyDeleteI teared up just reading your review..gah, but I am going to pick up both of these...you have convinced me :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely, emotional book. I do love a good story like that! And I like that the pace is a bit slower, because you're right, love and grief DO have stages.
ReplyDeleteOh Andrea, this sounds like a beautiful story. I was tearing up just reading your review!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm one of the only ones that didn't like book one. That mostly had to do with the kid though. Don't like kids in my books. I do remember I was aiming for these two though and I liked their chemistry. I also remember she liked kids. Damn...
ReplyDeleteNice! I am really drawn to this cover. Might have to pick up this series.
ReplyDeleteI've been hearing so many wonderful things about this book that I'm tempted to grab the first one right now! I really need to get busy reading this series cause I think I'll love it!
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to read the first one, but never got around to it. I'm glad that you are continuing to enjoy this series!
ReplyDelete