Brunswick House | November 10, 2015 | Contemporary Romance
Faraway, book 1
★★★★
SOURCE: XPRESSO BOOK TOURS
Former U.S. Attorney, Meredith Walsh, took some time off to raise her children. But the time took away everything she once trusted about herself. She’s lost within the mundane confines of her children’s schedules of lacrosse, soccer, Cub Scouts, and math facts. Desperate for a sliver of her former passion, and isolated in the small town her corporate husband relocated her to, she counsels herself on risking her family for the rush of a fling.
But Vincent Pratt, the local chief of police, weakens Meredith’s abhorrence of affairs and her dedication to her family. With him, she finds a new version of herself, one capable of contributing in her new world, and thriving in her lonely home. In spite of the fact, she’s not the kind of woman who has an affair.
{ about eliza freed } .
Eliza Freed graduated from Rutgers University and returned to her hometown in rural South Jersey. Her mother encouraged her to take some time and find herself. After three months of searching, she began to bounce checks and her neighbors began to talk; her mother told her to find a job.
She settled into Corporate America, learning systems and practices and the bureaucracy that slows them. Eliza quickly discovered her creativity and gift for story telling as a corporate trainer and spent years perfecting her presentation skills and studying diversity. It’s during this time she became an avid observer of the characters we meet and the heartaches we endure. Her years of study have taught her laughter is the key to survival, even when it’s completely inappropriate.
She currently lives in New Jersey with her family and a misbehaving beagle named Odin. An avid swimmer, if Eliza is not with her family and friends, she’d rather be underwater. While she enjoys many genres, she has always been a sucker for a love story…the more screwed up the better.
{ review } .
Infidelity is something I have a hard time reading about... But Eliza Freed makes a very good case for it in her book, THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND. From the beginning, I felt that Meredith was settling with Brad -- she wasn't being true to herself and she allowed him to dictate her choices in life. While in the beginning it seems as if she is semi-on-board, it is quickly realized by the reader that she has lost a part of herself. All it takes is a field trip with the Mothers of Pinterest looking down on her, and the father of her child's classmate, for her to start piecing herself back together again.
Both Vincent and Meredith are married when they meet and embark upon a relationship. Both are unhappy -- which is the driving force for any unfaithfulness. But it's the things between the lines that make it easy to understand both of their feelings and view points. So while I could understand... the subject-matter itself is just one that I have a hard time getting behind. The story, though, was well written with just enough edge-of-your-seat drama mixed in with happiness and learning to let yourself go.
I am, however, super excited for the next book. I can forgive anything(!) with the way this one ended and the next begins...
Both Vincent and Meredith are married when they meet and embark upon a relationship. Both are unhappy -- which is the driving force for any unfaithfulness. But it's the things between the lines that make it easy to understand both of their feelings and view points. So while I could understand... the subject-matter itself is just one that I have a hard time getting behind. The story, though, was well written with just enough edge-of-your-seat drama mixed in with happiness and learning to let yourself go.
I am, however, super excited for the next book. I can forgive anything(!) with the way this one ended and the next begins...
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I love it when an author can take a touchy subject and make a compelling read! This sounds very well written and character driven! Great review!
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