Bridge of Hope, Lisa J. Hobman

 

Bridge of Hope, Lisa J. Hobman
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews

This is a companion book to Bridge over the Atlantic which I’ve not read. That one seems to be written from Mallory’s POV while this one is from Greg’s. I’ve read a few dual POV books, sometimes it works and sometimes it feels like I’m just reading the same story, and it loses impact. I really prefer getting them in one book, with alternating chapters but this one works as a separate book. I think because this one is so very “into” Greg’s mind and way of thinking it wouldn’t be a problem reading the two, but that they would complement each other.
So, there’s poor Greg, still grieving the loss of his girlfriend, killed while mountain climbing. No body yet and though they’ve had a memorial service he’s in a a kind of limbo. The village where he lives though is full of people that support him, and I love the way pub owner and his part time employer Stella pushed him in the directions he needed to go.
When he’s retelling his life up to now I couldn’t help thinking “ what a typical male” – I know men like him, who go with the flow, don’t question when they should, and then are surprised when all goes wrong. I don’t mean that meanly, just that some people are so trusting – and then poor Greg got saddled with the bitch-wife Alice. What a horror she was, like a hydra she kept coming back though…and again I though “ Greg- why? Why didn’t you deal with this before?” but I guess we all know people like that – who are easy going and trust everything will work out. Then after Alice there was his beloved Mairi…that must be so hard, not knowing exactly what happened. Then when he’s still learning to cope with that, along comes Mallory and if you could write a “how not to talk to a woman “ manual Greg’s words would be top! He’s just so Open Mouth Insert Foot…poor guy. He doesn’t mean to offend, far from it, he’s so kind and genuine, but there’s something about Mallory that just makes everything he says come out wrong.
Then she suffers heartbreak too and they slowly become friends – Greg of course wants more. He’s plagued with guilt still though and can’t believe how Mallory makes him feel. There are indications that she might return his feelings, but they’re mixed sometimes and instead of thinking maybe she feels the same kind of guilt as he does at times, he just convinced himself she doesn’t want him for more than just friendship, and he needs to move on – and boy, can that guy pick them! His relationship with Mallory goes backwards and forwards, and all the while when he’s mulling over what to do next I’m mentally screaming “ No Greg, just no!!” and of course its a book and he doesn’t hear me….
Its a beautiful story, full of heartbreak and happiness, and showing how easily we could let misplaced guilt and the opinion of others get in the way of true happiness. A perfect ending too – really wrapped things up beautifully.
Stars: Five, a great read. Probably a one off for me, but a book which will stay with my for a while because of the things it brought up that made me wonder “what if?”
ARC supplied via Netgalley and publishers

Mind of the Beast (Sundancer Two)

I reviewed Brian Freyermuth’s novel Demon Dance last year, and am pleased to say the sequel is now out. Co-authored with Brians’s wife Juliet it’s called “Mind of the Beast”. Brian says we get to find out much more about the characters in the Sundancer world this time around, which I think will be good. One of the problems I had was the lack of info on the various characters so I’m pleased that’s been added.

https://jeanniezelos.wordpress.com/2013/10/17/demon-dance-a-sundancer-novel-brian-freyermuth/

You can learn more about the Novels here http://www.brianfreyermuth.com/