When Time Stands Still
(Second Chance Romance Book 1)
by Sara Furlong-Burr
A Review
My eReader is packed to overflowing with books. So many that it is getting slower and slower by the day, and now takes a full minute to turn on and at least ten seconds to process what I'm asking it to do when I want to open a book (it turns pages fine, so that's a relief!)
Sometimes, I will click on a random book and start reading, with absolutely no idea what it is I'm reading, what the story is about or how long it is. Generally it is book 1 of a series that I do not have the rest of the books for.
This one was fairly near the top of my eReader library, so it just so happened to be the one I clicked.
Let me introduce the book and then I will get onto talking about it!
Award-winning romance that recently earned acclaim from the prestigious Next Generation Indie Book Awards and gold at the 2020 Independent Publisher "IPPY" Book Awards.
It’s been nearly a decade since Elle Sloan last saw Luke Hutchins. Close to ten years since she broke up with him over a single phone call, providing him with little explanation. Since the end of their relationship, Elle has done everything she could do to move on, marrying, proceeding forward with her life, almost allowing herself to completely forget about Luke.
Almost.
Out of nowhere, Elle receives a phone call from Luke’s mother. Luke has been in a horrific car accident and, a month later, has just awoken from a coma. However, instead of celebrating, his family is stunned to learn that Luke is suffering from amnesia and only remembers his life as it was before his breakup with Elle. Not wanting to tell Luke that he and Elle aren’t together anymore for fear it may compromise his recovery, Elle is asked by Luke’s family to come to the hospital to see him. Their hope is that she will slowly be able to jog his memory and cushion the blow.
Guilt-ridden over how their relationship ended, Elle readily agrees, finding herself transported back in time with Luke to the life they once shared and the future they could have had together.
Now, my review!
I don't tend to read too many romances (although they've been growing on me a little lately). Generally, I think that they all follow the same sort of storyline (couple meet, fall in love, have an argument and break up, only to make up and end with a happily ever after). So this was a bit of a different read for me.
Elle Sloan had finally managed to move on from Luke Hutchins. She was married, had a house of her own, and a stable job. It had been ten years since she ended the relationship, ten years since she last had contact with him. So when she gets a phone call saying that he has had an accident, has amnesia, and can't remember the last ten years, she agrees to travel to see the boy she loved, to try and help him remember. The only trouble is that his limited access to his memories means that he still thinks he and Elle are together.
This novel is a dual timeline story, which surprisingly didn't pull me away from each storyline as much as I thought it might. One timeline is that of 2007, when Elle and Luke meet, when their relationship forms. The other is 2018, when Luke cannot remember anything much past this period. The timelines meant that while each story is that of the same people, you get a wonderful rounded sense of the relationship Elle and Luke formed, of the bond that tied them together. In a sense, you can almost imagine that you are getting the story of the life Elle is living, in 2018, and the one Luke thinks he is living, in 2007.
While both Elle and Luke are pivotal characters, this story follows Elle. She clearly has some issues, for she had a distant mother growing up and an abusive relationship in the past. When she meets Luke, she is not looking to date, she is looking to find herself. Elle was an interesting character to read about, because she craves love, but she doesn't see herself as worthy of it. She doesn't want to pull anyone down, to be the cause of them not reaching their potential, so she pushes people away, no matter how much it may hurt her to do so. Reading about Elle's past, and how her upbringing has led to the formation of such characteristics, was saddening, and I found myself feeling sorry for her and hoping she could see herself as worth just as much as she thinks others are worth.
I read a majority of this book sat outside in the sun, which was extremely pleasant and was the reason for the freckles on my nose to start appearing (they only come out when I have a tan). I read the end of this book in the bath. Now, I will point out once again, I was reading this book on my eReader. I am clumsy as it is with paperbacks in the bath, but I like a bit of risk every now and again and my eReader is broken enough – a little water couldn't do any more damage... right?! Luckily I did not drop it, or get any water on it, so no harm done!
Okay, I think that's it from me. It is very late at night and I was planning on going to bed a while ago, but I had too much to say. I have also bought book 2 of the series, and am looking forward to reading it (if you're interested in reading this and don't want to commit to a series, I think both books stand alone – book 2 is the story of one of Elle's friends.)
Bye!
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