2/5 stars.
ebook, 173 pages.
Read from April 06 to 18, 2016.
I would like to thank the Online Bookclub for providing me with a copy of this book for review. I selected this novel as I found the plot description to be very intriguing, however, the plot that I actually read left me disappointed. I was under the expectation that this book was going to be more about three friends who discovered some fascinating magical objects but instead I was left with a romance novel that required no magical interludes. However, this book still has many good qualities and would appeal to anyone interested in the romance genre.
As children, Ruby and her friends, find a cave with some interesting remains. Each of them pockets an item from the cave to keep. Set in Tennessee the late 1970s, Ruby is now a young adult with big dreams to run and manage the grocery store that she is working at. She has also long discovered that the item that she discovered in that cave with her friends as a child is no ordinary item, in fact, it allows her glimpses into the future through her dreams. During one vibrant dream, she sees a man whom she does not recognize but sees herself falling madly in love with him. As destiny would have it, the handsome stranger, Reed, comes in to the shop while she is working along with his equally handsome friend, Brent. She is deeply attracted to them both but she can’t shake the dream she had with Reed. She soon discovers that the two of them are notorious players who have created a game they call “Tap It”. Each of them will date the same woman and who ever she says she loves first is the winner in which they will then both cut ties with her. Disgusted, Ruby is determined to beat them at their own game and tries to play them both. However she undermines her own feelings in the process as well as the power of the destiny that was predicted for her in her dreams.
While the writing wasn’t terrible, the story just wasn’t for me. And to be honest, the author could have completely cut the part out of the cave and the magical items and just focused on the romance between the characters because that was clearly the central story. If the book description and beginning plot had been described as such, then I likely wouldn’t feel so deceived right now. Even Ruby’s friends felt like unnecessary characters, especially Jerry. His character literally adding nothing to this plot and no place in this book, though I’m sure he was thrown in so that it could tie in to the next book. I don’t like it when authors do that and an editor would have been able to spot that, but that is one downsides of self published books. The characters, while described well were extremely stereotypical. Ruby was the “it” girl that had it all, beauty, brains and boldness. Nothing new. Overall the magical sub plot felt unnecessary and randomly thrown in just so the author could create a magical series involving the friends.
Having said that, the author has a solid writing style and can most definitely tell a story. I was intrigued enough to finish the novel, even if some of the romance turned me off. While romance may not be a genre I enjoy reading, this book will be a winner for anyone who appreciates the genre.
The Pluviophile Writer 