Kristie J’s review of It Was Always You by S.L. Sterling
Contemporary Romance published by Amazon Digital Services 28 Mar 18
At times it seems to me that I love, to one degree or another, just about every book I read and that is odd. But then I come across a book like this and I realize I don’t love every book I read. I didn’t love this book. I didn’t even like it. Though the hero is on the bland side, the heroine drove me bonkers.
Tatum, our heroine, is with a real douche. Though we learn that it’s clearly evident what a jerk he is and even Tatum experiences it, she stays with him until she’s had enough. They are supposed to be celebrating something or other overnight in a hotel, and rather than spend the time with her, her boyfriend “claims” to be in a business meeting and it isn’t until the next morning when she spies him kissing another woman that she realizes that’s it and the relationship is over. It wasn’t the times he became physically abusive of her, nope, that didn’t do it.
She heads out to visit with her brother on the other coast for a while. He’s a cop who happens to work with her childhood sweetheart. They were destined to be together, but her parents died and very shortly after he was offered a position working for a police department very far away. He wants to keep in contact and work at a long-distance relationship – and they try for a while – but then, for some reason – and who knows what, really – she just stops corresponding with him. She still loves him, though, and we find out he – Parker is his name – has been carrying the torch for her all these years. They get back together, she almost leaves, her ex-boyfriend comes back into the picture, danger, danger, danger, then danger solved and they live happily ever after. Blah, blah, blah. Except…
Tatum is an idiot. Do you ever watch those scary movies and the people are headed downstairs and you’re thinking “Don’t go down there, don’t go down there” and they do and because they are stupid, things go very bad? Well, that’s Tatum. She stays with this jerk, even though she is close to her brother and the jerk wants her to cut all ties. Hello – a guy like this? Warning bells. And when she moves to be with her brother and her ex starts to terrorize her, does she tell her brother the cop???? Of course she doesn’t, because she’s an idiot.
Then she’s offered a job back in New York and she takes it. Even though she and Parker are now back together and it’s the same company that dropped her with no warning, she’s ready to come back. Idiot. She’s all set to leave something good, including love, for what? I don’t know.
And I’d probably have something to say about Parker, but even though it was just a short time ago that I read this book, I can’t remember him really at all. And that’s never a good sign. A hero I can’t remember, a heroine I can’t stand, and an over-the-top villain all make for a book that, sadly, I can’t recommend.
Grade: D
Summary:
Fresh out of an abusive relationship, Tatum packs up and goes to live closer to her brother.
A new life. New beginnings.
But when Parker – her college sweetheart – comes back around she’s immediately divided between trying again or protecting her damaged heart.Parker hasn’t been able to get Tatum off his mind since the night he walked out of her life. Eight years of one night stands, along with sleepless nights, and the pain of losing her has virtually faded. But now she’s moving back to town and all the emotions of the past come crashing in to drive him back to her.
Ex-boyfriends are real, though.
And hers becomes obsessed.
Tatum and Parker’s rekindled love will be tested to its limits.
And worlds may come crashing down.
No excerpt available.
