Genre: New Adult/Upper YA Contemporary
Publication Date: April 23rd 2013
Pages: 260
Format: Kindle
Source: Gifted by author for review
It would’ve been different if I had courage, even an ounce of it. But I was a coward from the day I met you, Ryan Crowley. I still am. In the end it doesn’t matter. The bottom line is the same. It’s my fault. When the unthinkable happens Carly Cavanough is left beaten, betrayed, and devastated. Her best friend doesn’t understand. Her parents won’t listen. Everyone in her life turns against her. She’s alone. Completely alone, except for Ryan Crowley, the boy she’s been crushing on for years. She won’t admit to him what she can’t admit to herself. But he understands without words. He knows more about what she’s going through than she can possibly imagine and he knows what it will take to start the healing. With Ryan’s help Carly begins to piece together the fragments of her once perfect life and embarks on a journey of love and healing, just long enough for the rug to be pulled out from under her again. Can she find the strength and will to pull herself together to save Ryan and herself when their lives are on the line?
My Review:
I received this book a while ago for review and I am totally kicking myself for not reading it sooner. It completely consumed me and wrapped me up into the story of Carly and Ryan. To My Hero was a beautiful story about Heartbreak, Pain, Love and healing.
Carly has been in love with Ryan for years but has always missed her chance to make a move and let him know how she feels. She ends up meeting Will, a guy whose parents have business dealings with her family, and they become a couple. Things with Will are great at first but soon Will starts to show his darker side and becomes borderline abusive with her. While at one of his parties she wasn't supposed to go to to begin with her life changes in an instant. She wakes up with no memory of what happened to her and the only thing she knows is that Ryan finds her and helps take care of her.
This subject I am sure you can guess is something not every girl has experienced but there are a vast majority who can relate. I usually can't handle this kind of story but the author handled it beautifully and walked the line between too much and just enough information about what happened. Carly's character was easy to love. She was a sweet and shy young woman that had something terrible happen to her that changed her. Watching her go through not only an attitude change but a personality change was sad for me. Her parents weren't really any help having caused more issues than actually helping her. The only one she had to help was Ryan Crowley. The very boy she has loved all along. He was very sweet, caring and understanding. Ryan stole my heart consistently throughout the story. He tried to get her to seek help and when she refused he comforted her and tried his best to be what she needed. He taught her how to defend herself so she never felt powerless again. Guys just don't get better than Ryan and he was my favorite part of this book. Carly isn't the only one that has been in love because Ryan admits he's loved her just the same. I loved watching these two grow and change together as they dealt with the fallout of her problems, her parents issues and ultimately Will causing more problems. Their relationship isn't easy following the events that changed Carly. They both have to fight for the love they have finally find with each other. Ryan's reputation at school has caused trust issues for Carly who already feels insecure and broken.
To My Hero was a very unique reading experience written in the form of a blog to Ryan. An Account of everything they went through in their relationship. At first the way it was written caught me off guard and took a little bit to get used to but after a while it wasn't even an issue. The love story was amazing and beautiful even through all the craziness. I loved that Carly grew close to Ryan's family when hers was falling apart. The relationship she forms with his sister Caitlin and the bond they share with past experiences tugged at my heart strings. What I enjoyed the most was how well the author made me FEEL the things Carly was feeling through every rough stage of her ordeal. Anger, Hurt, Regret, Love. All of her emotions bled through to me and made me connect with her character. This wasn't a short book by any means but it pulls you in so deep that you don't realize you are flying through the pages.
To My Hero stole my heart and became one of my favorite reads of this year with it's endearing characters and emotional story line I am still angry at myself for putting this off for as long as I did because I could have read this amazing book sooner. I highly recommend you don't make the same mistake I did because this book was to me a diamond in a sea of pearls. The subject may have been tough to deal with at times but I wouldn't trade a minute of the pain for the beautiful ending that wraps up this sweet story.
Carly has been in love with Ryan for years but has always missed her chance to make a move and let him know how she feels. She ends up meeting Will, a guy whose parents have business dealings with her family, and they become a couple. Things with Will are great at first but soon Will starts to show his darker side and becomes borderline abusive with her. While at one of his parties she wasn't supposed to go to to begin with her life changes in an instant. She wakes up with no memory of what happened to her and the only thing she knows is that Ryan finds her and helps take care of her.
This subject I am sure you can guess is something not every girl has experienced but there are a vast majority who can relate. I usually can't handle this kind of story but the author handled it beautifully and walked the line between too much and just enough information about what happened. Carly's character was easy to love. She was a sweet and shy young woman that had something terrible happen to her that changed her. Watching her go through not only an attitude change but a personality change was sad for me. Her parents weren't really any help having caused more issues than actually helping her. The only one she had to help was Ryan Crowley. The very boy she has loved all along. He was very sweet, caring and understanding. Ryan stole my heart consistently throughout the story. He tried to get her to seek help and when she refused he comforted her and tried his best to be what she needed. He taught her how to defend herself so she never felt powerless again. Guys just don't get better than Ryan and he was my favorite part of this book. Carly isn't the only one that has been in love because Ryan admits he's loved her just the same. I loved watching these two grow and change together as they dealt with the fallout of her problems, her parents issues and ultimately Will causing more problems. Their relationship isn't easy following the events that changed Carly. They both have to fight for the love they have finally find with each other. Ryan's reputation at school has caused trust issues for Carly who already feels insecure and broken.
To My Hero was a very unique reading experience written in the form of a blog to Ryan. An Account of everything they went through in their relationship. At first the way it was written caught me off guard and took a little bit to get used to but after a while it wasn't even an issue. The love story was amazing and beautiful even through all the craziness. I loved that Carly grew close to Ryan's family when hers was falling apart. The relationship she forms with his sister Caitlin and the bond they share with past experiences tugged at my heart strings. What I enjoyed the most was how well the author made me FEEL the things Carly was feeling through every rough stage of her ordeal. Anger, Hurt, Regret, Love. All of her emotions bled through to me and made me connect with her character. This wasn't a short book by any means but it pulls you in so deep that you don't realize you are flying through the pages.
To My Hero stole my heart and became one of my favorite reads of this year with it's endearing characters and emotional story line I am still angry at myself for putting this off for as long as I did because I could have read this amazing book sooner. I highly recommend you don't make the same mistake I did because this book was to me a diamond in a sea of pearls. The subject may have been tough to deal with at times but I wouldn't trade a minute of the pain for the beautiful ending that wraps up this sweet story.
Quotes:
“Don’t think I don’t see or feel how nervous you get sometimes when I touch you. How your whole body goes rigid. Sex isn’t love. And it’s not a weapon. I know you’re really pissed at your parents right now.” I let go of you and crossed my arms over my chest, wary once again of meeting your eyes. “You don’t have to worry.” You turned my face toward you again. “I’ll never ask you to have sex with me as a way to prove your love.” Kindle 58%
You pulled your mouth away far enough to speak, but close enough for me to feel your sweet breath against my lips. “Carly Cavanough, I love you more than the sun loves the summer sky. More than the moon loves the night. You are my world. You are my heart.” Kindle 77%
About The Author:
Danielle Sibarium grew up as an only child of divorced parents in Brooklyn, New York. Her imagination was developed at an early age. Surrounded by stuffed animals and imaginary friends, she transported herself into a fantasy world full of magic and wonder. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality. On any given summer afternoon she became Snow White sweeping and cooking for the dwarfs, or Cinderella waiting for the prince. Danielle always loved dialogue and in elementary school began writing plays and short stories. This is when she began to understand she could not only bring her fantastical world to life for herself, but she could enchant others as well. And so she wrote. She wrote and wrote and wrote. Sadly the first piece she ever sent out for publication of any sort was a letter to the editor of The Home News Tribune. It was a piece thanking the first responders for their bravery and selflessness on Sept 11th. It was chosen as letter of the week. In 2007 Danielle collaborated with Charlotte Doreen Small to write songs for her CD More. Danielle wrote the lyrics for Take My Hand, and Goodbye, while Charlotte contributed the melody. In October 2011 Danielle’s debut novel For Always was released. She Has since released Heart Waves and the second book in the Heart Waves series, Breaking Waves. Danielle graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children.
Links:
To My Hero is only $1.99! Trust me, it's worth it!
I am so happy you gave this book a chance. I agree that the author did a brilliant job of handling such a tough subject.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Spongebob!