Jennifer Ryan
novel had some heart felt moments, a predictable plot and a strong female character, Note to editor . . please correct adverbs! As a reader and retired teacher, I dislike seeing and hearing the lost ly being eliminated, Sorry . my pet peeve. o perfect Not a fun book to read overall, This one started off very strongly, Plenty of mystery and a gutsy, don'tmesswith me heroine,
I couldn't wait for the mother to have to eat humble pie, That ending was worth waiting for, for that alone,
Things got a bit hackneyed after about, but I would still give this one a,out of, just for the intelligent writing style and the entertainment value, I've never watched Orange is the New Black, but it almost tempted me to give it a go, I rarely watch TV, though, so I doubt that I will! I'm not into watching violent series, The author used the phrase "closed the distance" six times, What is it with romance novels and this phrase Here it was used even in nonromantic situations, Just stop, romance writers. Get a new phrase!
In other news, this book started off great good family drama, compelling nice girl turned excon, stern but regretful cop as romantic lead and then the pacing took some unexpected turns and not always in a good way.
I particularly despised how the main character, Evangeline, fell in love with the cop who first put her in jail and then got her out under the agreement that she help him nab some wine thieves.
They spent almost no time together and spoke only of her incarceration and stopping the people responsible for the crime for which she was convicted, yet she was convinced she was in love with him within a few days and a few very short interactions.
It's called lust not love,
Also, it was completely ridiculous that this cop who is her handler starts making out with her because that's inappropriate on many many levels I get he's a cop with a heart of gold but he's also the guy who could send her back to jail and her handler, so he sort of holds all the cards and this girl was massively traumatized in prison, so it might be best not to make any snap decisions, especially when her father is recently deceased, her mother and brothers hate her, and she's got to save the family ranch.
Nothing about their romance rang true for me, and I almost hesitate to call it romance since the majority of the story was about her getting her entire wrecked life back.
. . within the span of a few weeks, I know romances have happy endings and I love them for it, but this just didn't work for me, Chris and Evangeline's story is like no other, I really did enjoy this sweet romance, I highly recommend this sweet getaway, I hope that you will enjoy it to, Captivating Enjoyable Satisfying
tldr: Postconviction daugther returns to family farm to fix things,
This book is like a Romance writer scripted the afterlife for the character from Orange is the New Black, The story has so many expected tropes: jealous siblings, instatropes, heartofgold lawman, Yet, Ryan seems to turn the expected into something surprising, This fast read is incredibly satisfying, The main characters are appealing, certainly, but Ryan's strength might be her pacing, The mystery at the center of the main characters convinction unfolds in an enjoyable pace, I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did, Great summer read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review,
Seema Rao Write : sitelinkInstagram sitelinkBlog sitelinkTwitter This book started strong as the reader experiences what Evangeline is going through as she sits in front of her parole board and then faces her family, who is convinced she betrayed them and broke the heart of the family patriarch, sending him to an early grave.
There's a powerful buildup as readers recognize that Evangeline is holding some big secrets close to her scarred chest, I was engaged, my heart pounding and hurting for this woman,
And then the story fell flat, What should have been a powerful, emotional reveal happened with a fizzle so much so that I reread it a second time to see if I missed anything.
From there the array of conflicts thrown at readers roll out pretty much the same way in almost eyerollworthy moments, From Evangeline being left in charge of the family ranch atafter spending the lastyears in prison to her being in love with a man she feared just weeks earlier, the reader must suspend belief time and time again.
There was so much potential in this book and I'm so disappointed in how it played out,
for the strong start,
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback,.stars. Love the cover! This is what's attracted me to the book,
. My first read from the author, The premise is very interesting, About an excon trying to build up her life afteryears in prison,
. The writing was smooth and fast pace, the story was straightforward, There were some secrets and revenge, but all were revealed quite early,
. To be honest, there were too much problems for Evangeline to settled on her own, The writer wanted to have a very smart heroin, as opposed to a TSTL heroines out there, but so many things at the same time.
. . hmm. Quite a superhuman, our Evangeline,
. I think this was supposed to be a woman's fiction, but the voice of angsty teenagers were more dominating, It did feel like a YA book, I listened to this audiobook and if I could give the narrator, Brittany Presley, a thousand I would, She is the best narrator / voice actress in the business,
But even she couldnt save this book, The beginning was heartbreaking and held me spell bound, but then I was able to figure out the twist at about themark and everything the FMC did seemed to work out perfectly from there on out, so it felt a little too contrived and lack luster as it progressed.
Its a damn shame though because I almost cried multiple times in the first few chapters, which I never do and am always hoping Ill finally find a book that will move me to tears A story of total giving by the lead character.
I was touched by the way the author handled the delicacy of the plotline,
Great characters. Fast paced. Lots of twists and we turns, Finally, a great ending after a major plot change/way through,
Loved the book and I highly recommend b This book was so amazing! How refreshing to read about such a smart selfless heroine! I want to readmore just like it! I also loved the PrideampPrejudice/Darcyesque quality to the romance.
She thinks he hates her, she kinda hates him but not really, And actually he kinda wanted her from the very beginning, I loved that Chris was both a rescuer and a rock upon which Evangeline could depend but also became independent, Evangelines pain at the beginning of the book was so palpable and I felt it so much but it was accomplished without going into detail about violence etc.
so this book is actually pretty safe from any triggers in spite of the prison sentence, The detailed pain is the emotional kind from friends and family E should have been able to trust and depend on, The revenge/justice plot was so satisfying and how E was able to resolve their issues was very neat and tidy some may say too tidy and too quick but it worked within the bounds of this stand alone book.
And I cant say enough about Chriss and Evangelines relationship loved the evolution and I believe in their HEA so much in spite of all the contradictions ex con and cop.
The narrator did a great job with the various voices and multiple perspectives all third person but from different characters POV at times.
Rated. THE ME I USED TO BE by Jennifer Ryan is a breath of fresh air for romance readers in need of the unusual mixed with the unexpected.
Anyone who follows my reviews understands Im an eclectic reader, but do you know that my core prefers romance Not the sameoldsameold weve come to expect.
There is a formula romance authors follow to give us what we want, Romance readers dont always like it
when an author meanders away from that formula, I do I want the unusual and unexpected,
THE ME I USED TO BE is the perfect example of an author who takes a risk that pays off in an excellent story.
Read the review in full color at my blog, sitelinkTheZestQuest, com.
This novel begins on the day Evangeline Austen is released from prison, The first lines in this story set the stage for an emotional, and sometimes shocking, story, We know Evangeline is covering for someone, but who And who is this cop who thinks hell bribe her with her freedom to tell him the truth Surely, Lieutenant Chris Chambers is NOT the hero of this possible love story
Evangeline is a sympathetic heroine but shes not a wimp.
Prison taught her to trust no one except herself, Shes scarred on the outside, as much as the inside, from her experience, But she made good use of her four years behind bars by earning a college degree she can use to turn her life around.
Evangeline returns home amidst turmoil, Her father died. The remaining family feels that her imprisonment, and refusal to see her father, is the cause, The family business is in trouble, This is where she has to live until parole allows something else, Can she make it on the outside
THE ME I USED TO BE is very addictive, One shocking thing after another happens to make Evangelines world impossible for most people, But thats where her strength proves to be essential, If theyre going to get out of this mess as a loving family, Evangeline needs to use her gifts to their best advantage,
It was hard for me to imagine that Chris would ever turn out to be a believable hero, He is tough, but he has a soft spot for Evangeline, I couldnt figure out why, at first, but once I did, then I understood how this was meant to be,
That doesnt mean this story is easy, Far from it. What it does mean is that author Jennifer Ryan is a gifted storyteller, She made me believe what I never thought possible,
Did I love everything and the way it was done in this book Of course, not Im a Romantic Suspense RS critic who is always looking for that perfect style I crave.
I didnt love everything about the RS portion, Some of you will absolutely love it, I also didnt like how some of the bad guy stuff caused more bad things to happen to more good people, But it had to be that way for this plot to work,
The part I disliked the most was the quickfallintolove section, while fighting the bad guys with the man who put the girl in jail.
Thats a bit tough to swallow, Oh, I get it that Chris is one gorgeous, sexy, hardtoresist cop, I melted into a puddle, too, He came off as a bit of a badass as well, I felt their romance needed more backstory, Or maybe more time alone to simmer, It seemed to come about too quickly, And, then there were a couple TSTL moments from our heroine while in the dangerzone, Those always annoy me, but thats part of that cranky RS reader again,
But I forgave all that because I loved how the plot concluded, I really enjoyed how Evangeline used her empowerment as a smart, educated woman to resolve her familys business issues, I was thrilled that she didnt wallow in selfpity, which she had every right to do,
This woman went through four years in jail fighting, literally, to survive something she didnt deserve, As a young woman, she earned mental and physical scars most of us will never experience in a lifetime, That survival empowered her to become the “me” she needed to be, This is her journey and the bulk of the book is dedicated to her story,
That means that the romance takes a back seat until the last quarter of the book, Then its fast and furious, so much so that I wasnt sure Id believe it, But by the end, I was completely convinced and cheering her on,
The novel got too wordy about feelings and thoughts toward the end, I was ready for the conclusion, so I did speed read through some of that,
This is me as a cranky Romantic Suspense reader, I love them and hate them, Its a tug of war most authors dont win with me, Jennifer Ryan is a winner! I expected a lot from what Id heard about her books, so Im thrilled I chose this standalone title as my sample.
Its really hard to categorize this book into a subgenre of fiction because its so unusual, It does have some RS techniques, but its not typical, It leans heavily in the contemporary womens fiction direction without the smalltown connotations, with a good crime subplot, I cant say much more than that because to appreciate this book, you really need to experience it for yourself,
THE ME I USED TO BE is full of surprises, including the very sweet ending, If you want different, and LOVE heartbreaking stories that make you smile in the end, give THE ME I USED TO BE a few hours of your time.
I hope youll appreciate all its nuances like I did, With an almostrating, I cant wait for Jennifer Ryans next foray into the unusual,
by Dorine, courtesy of sitelinkTheZestQuest, com. A digital advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review, Thanks in advance for following links and sharing this review on social media, For more eclectic reading, check out my sitelinkbook section for more reviews,
I couldn't wait for the mother to have to eat humble pie, That ending was worth waiting for, for that alone,
Things got a bit hackneyed after about, but I would still give this one a,out of, just for the intelligent writing style and the entertainment value, I've never watched Orange is the New Black, but it almost tempted me to give it a go, I rarely watch TV, though, so I doubt that I will! I'm not into watching violent series, The author used the phrase "closed the distance" six times, What is it with romance novels and this phrase Here it was used even in nonromantic situations, Just stop, romance writers. Get a new phrase!
In other news, this book started off great good family drama, compelling nice girl turned excon, stern but regretful cop as romantic lead and then the pacing took some unexpected turns and not always in a good way.
I particularly despised how the main character, Evangeline, fell in love with the cop who first put her in jail and then got her out under the agreement that she help him nab some wine thieves.
They spent almost no time together and spoke only of her incarceration and stopping the people responsible for the crime for which she was convicted, yet she was convinced she was in love with him within a few days and a few very short interactions.
It's called lust not love,
Also, it was completely ridiculous that this cop who is her handler starts making out with her because that's inappropriate on many many levels I get he's a cop with a heart of gold but he's also the guy who could send her back to jail and her handler, so he sort of holds all the cards and this girl was massively traumatized in prison, so it might be best not to make any snap decisions, especially when her father is recently deceased, her mother and brothers hate her, and she's got to save the family ranch.
Nothing about their romance rang true for me, and I almost hesitate to call it romance since the majority of the story was about her getting her entire wrecked life back.
. . within the span of a few weeks, I know romances have happy endings and I love them for it, but this just didn't work for me, Chris and Evangeline's story is like no other, I really did enjoy this sweet romance, I highly recommend this sweet getaway, I hope that you will enjoy it to, Captivating Enjoyable Satisfying
tldr: Postconviction daugther returns to family farm to fix things,
This book is like a Romance writer scripted the afterlife for the character from Orange is the New Black, The story has so many expected tropes: jealous siblings, instatropes, heartofgold lawman, Yet, Ryan seems to turn the expected into something surprising, This fast read is incredibly satisfying, The main characters are appealing, certainly, but Ryan's strength might be her pacing, The mystery at the center of the main characters convinction unfolds in an enjoyable pace, I didn't expect to enjoy this one as much as I did, Great summer read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review,
Seema Rao Write : sitelinkInstagram sitelinkBlog sitelinkTwitter This book started strong as the reader experiences what Evangeline is going through as she sits in front of her parole board and then faces her family, who is convinced she betrayed them and broke the heart of the family patriarch, sending him to an early grave.
There's a powerful buildup as readers recognize that Evangeline is holding some big secrets close to her scarred chest, I was engaged, my heart pounding and hurting for this woman,
And then the story fell flat, What should have been a powerful, emotional reveal happened with a fizzle so much so that I reread it a second time to see if I missed anything.
From there the array of conflicts thrown at readers roll out pretty much the same way in almost eyerollworthy moments, From Evangeline being left in charge of the family ranch atafter spending the lastyears in prison to her being in love with a man she feared just weeks earlier, the reader must suspend belief time and time again.
There was so much potential in this book and I'm so disappointed in how it played out,
for the strong start,
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback,.stars. Love the cover! This is what's attracted me to the book,
. My first read from the author, The premise is very interesting, About an excon trying to build up her life afteryears in prison,
. The writing was smooth and fast pace, the story was straightforward, There were some secrets and revenge, but all were revealed quite early,
. To be honest, there were too much problems for Evangeline to settled on her own, The writer wanted to have a very smart heroin, as opposed to a TSTL heroines out there, but so many things at the same time.
. . hmm. Quite a superhuman, our Evangeline,
. I think this was supposed to be a woman's fiction, but the voice of angsty teenagers were more dominating, It did feel like a YA book, I listened to this audiobook and if I could give the narrator, Brittany Presley, a thousand I would, She is the best narrator / voice actress in the business,
But even she couldnt save this book, The beginning was heartbreaking and held me spell bound, but then I was able to figure out the twist at about themark and everything the FMC did seemed to work out perfectly from there on out, so it felt a little too contrived and lack luster as it progressed.
Its a damn shame though because I almost cried multiple times in the first few chapters, which I never do and am always hoping Ill finally find a book that will move me to tears A story of total giving by the lead character.
I was touched by the way the author handled the delicacy of the plotline,
Great characters. Fast paced. Lots of twists and we turns, Finally, a great ending after a major plot change/way through,
Loved the book and I highly recommend b This book was so amazing! How refreshing to read about such a smart selfless heroine! I want to readmore just like it! I also loved the PrideampPrejudice/Darcyesque quality to the romance.
She thinks he hates her, she kinda hates him but not really, And actually he kinda wanted her from the very beginning, I loved that Chris was both a rescuer and a rock upon which Evangeline could depend but also became independent, Evangelines pain at the beginning of the book was so palpable and I felt it so much but it was accomplished without going into detail about violence etc.
so this book is actually pretty safe from any triggers in spite of the prison sentence, The detailed pain is the emotional kind from friends and family E should have been able to trust and depend on, The revenge/justice plot was so satisfying and how E was able to resolve their issues was very neat and tidy some may say too tidy and too quick but it worked within the bounds of this stand alone book.
And I cant say enough about Chriss and Evangelines relationship loved the evolution and I believe in their HEA so much in spite of all the contradictions ex con and cop.
The narrator did a great job with the various voices and multiple perspectives all third person but from different characters POV at times.
Rated. THE ME I USED TO BE by Jennifer Ryan is a breath of fresh air for romance readers in need of the unusual mixed with the unexpected.
Anyone who follows my reviews understands Im an eclectic reader, but do you know that my core prefers romance Not the sameoldsameold weve come to expect.
There is a formula romance authors follow to give us what we want, Romance readers dont always like it
when an author meanders away from that formula, I do I want the unusual and unexpected,
THE ME I USED TO BE is the perfect example of an author who takes a risk that pays off in an excellent story.
Read the review in full color at my blog, sitelinkTheZestQuest, com.
This novel begins on the day Evangeline Austen is released from prison, The first lines in this story set the stage for an emotional, and sometimes shocking, story, We know Evangeline is covering for someone, but who And who is this cop who thinks hell bribe her with her freedom to tell him the truth Surely, Lieutenant Chris Chambers is NOT the hero of this possible love story
Evangeline is a sympathetic heroine but shes not a wimp.
Prison taught her to trust no one except herself, Shes scarred on the outside, as much as the inside, from her experience, But she made good use of her four years behind bars by earning a college degree she can use to turn her life around.
Evangeline returns home amidst turmoil, Her father died. The remaining family feels that her imprisonment, and refusal to see her father, is the cause, The family business is in trouble, This is where she has to live until parole allows something else, Can she make it on the outside
THE ME I USED TO BE is very addictive, One shocking thing after another happens to make Evangelines world impossible for most people, But thats where her strength proves to be essential, If theyre going to get out of this mess as a loving family, Evangeline needs to use her gifts to their best advantage,
It was hard for me to imagine that Chris would ever turn out to be a believable hero, He is tough, but he has a soft spot for Evangeline, I couldnt figure out why, at first, but once I did, then I understood how this was meant to be,
That doesnt mean this story is easy, Far from it. What it does mean is that author Jennifer Ryan is a gifted storyteller, She made me believe what I never thought possible,
Did I love everything and the way it was done in this book Of course, not Im a Romantic Suspense RS critic who is always looking for that perfect style I crave.
I didnt love everything about the RS portion, Some of you will absolutely love it, I also didnt like how some of the bad guy stuff caused more bad things to happen to more good people, But it had to be that way for this plot to work,
The part I disliked the most was the quickfallintolove section, while fighting the bad guys with the man who put the girl in jail.
Thats a bit tough to swallow, Oh, I get it that Chris is one gorgeous, sexy, hardtoresist cop, I melted into a puddle, too, He came off as a bit of a badass as well, I felt their romance needed more backstory, Or maybe more time alone to simmer, It seemed to come about too quickly, And, then there were a couple TSTL moments from our heroine while in the dangerzone, Those always annoy me, but thats part of that cranky RS reader again,
But I forgave all that because I loved how the plot concluded, I really enjoyed how Evangeline used her empowerment as a smart, educated woman to resolve her familys business issues, I was thrilled that she didnt wallow in selfpity, which she had every right to do,
This woman went through four years in jail fighting, literally, to survive something she didnt deserve, As a young woman, she earned mental and physical scars most of us will never experience in a lifetime, That survival empowered her to become the “me” she needed to be, This is her journey and the bulk of the book is dedicated to her story,
That means that the romance takes a back seat until the last quarter of the book, Then its fast and furious, so much so that I wasnt sure Id believe it, But by the end, I was completely convinced and cheering her on,
The novel got too wordy about feelings and thoughts toward the end, I was ready for the conclusion, so I did speed read through some of that,
This is me as a cranky Romantic Suspense reader, I love them and hate them, Its a tug of war most authors dont win with me, Jennifer Ryan is a winner! I expected a lot from what Id heard about her books, so Im thrilled I chose this standalone title as my sample.
Its really hard to categorize this book into a subgenre of fiction because its so unusual, It does have some RS techniques, but its not typical, It leans heavily in the contemporary womens fiction direction without the smalltown connotations, with a good crime subplot, I cant say much more than that because to appreciate this book, you really need to experience it for yourself,
THE ME I USED TO BE is full of surprises, including the very sweet ending, If you want different, and LOVE heartbreaking stories that make you smile in the end, give THE ME I USED TO BE a few hours of your time.
I hope youll appreciate all its nuances like I did, With an almostrating, I cant wait for Jennifer Ryans next foray into the unusual,
by Dorine, courtesy of sitelinkTheZestQuest, com. A digital advanced copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review, Thanks in advance for following links and sharing this review on social media, For more eclectic reading, check out my sitelinkbook section for more reviews,
From the New York Times and USA Todaybestselling author Jennifer Ryan comes a new story that combines the very best of family drama, suspense, and the happilyeverafter we all crave.
Life can change in an instant,
Evangeline Austin returns home, disgraced and destitute, Sentenced to jail for a crime she didnt commit, shes shocked to discover her father has left her a inheritancethe struggling family ranch, Her brothers want to sell, their wives want a piece of the pie, and Evangeline surprises herself when she decides to make the ranch successful once more.
Curiously, the one person on her side seems to be Chris Chambersthe cop who sent her away four years ago, Now, Evangeline needs to come to terms with the secrets that put her in prison, and the legacy of land, of family, and of home that shes come to love.