Hello and Happy Wednesday, my bibliophiles! I know I just posted a quick update regarding a new holiday release, but I had to bring you guys a review too, right?
As mentioned in my prior post, Snowed In, I haven’t had enough hours in the day. My reading has really fallen by the wayside because I’m taking part in NanoWriMo this year, and I’m sticking with it! I’ve signed up in years past and never finished a project, but have always wanted to write a novel. I felt with all the books I read, I could probably write something of my own, and I owe it to the little girl who spent the majority of her childhood carrying notebooks around and jotting down stories to complete something, right? Right now, I’m about 15,000 words and 35ish pages into my project, so maybe if I gain some confidence in my material, I’ll post snippets and excerpts for you guys to enjoy (if you’re interested, that it). If you’re a fellow writer and you’re taking part in NanoWriMo as well, come find me! I could always use a writing buddy and help encourage fellow writers to keep going with their projects! You can find me at “blabbybiblio”.
Now that I’ve made yet another little update, let’s get to the review. As stated in earlier posts, I’m super behind on reviews. I have probably four or five stacked up still to get to you guys. A few of them are series stories that I’m still in the process of finishing, so they’ll take awhile, however, the book I’m bringing you tonight might be one of my other favorites for 2017. Let’s talk about A Little Too Late by Staci Hart.
First off, let’s discuss how obsessed and in love I am with this cover. It’s simple, elegant, and enchanting. I was sucked in right from the get-go.
This was the first book of Staci’s I had read and I was just elated at every word. From beginning to end, I loved my time with Charlie and Hannah. It was a rollercoaster of a ride, but truly magical.
*Side Note: I didn’t know until after I began reading this story that Charlie was featured in another one of Staci’s stories entitled, A Thousand Letters, but now that I’m so in love with him, I’ll need to read that story too and get more Charlie. Yum.
So not only do I fall for the cliche trap of judging a book by it’s cover, but I’m also a total sucker for a single dad romance.
My heart broke for Charlie from almost the minute I met him. All he’s trying to do is navigate fatherhood to his two young babies and work full-time to provide a beautiful life for them. The problem is that he’s lonely and broken from the way his wife left.
Hannah becomes the beam of light in his world. As the new au pair from The Netherlands, Hannah has scars of her own, but she hides them with quiet dignity. Instead, she gives Charlie the joy of having a family again with her kind and compassionate manner. She never seems to raise her voice or complain about less-than-ideal situations. There’s a villain of an ex-wife, and an old boss of Hannah’s that both seem to threaten the life that Charlie and Hannah are trying to build one brick at a time.
A few other reviewers mentioned that this novel was soft and I completely agree. Let me explain. Reading this story felt like looking at a beautiful painting in a museum and letting it speak to you and you alone. I felt like the narrator was whispering this gorgeous tale to me word for word and I couldn’t get enough. I loved the complex camaraderie that developed between the pair, I felt like I could taste Hannah’s baked goodies, and I even jetted across the pond to enjoy a taste of The Netherlands at Christmas. That factor really hit home for me. I recently found out via Ancestry that Hannah’s home and culture is part of my own heritage, so I really enjoyed learning more about the traditions and just wished I could hop a plane to go visit.
I just could not get enough of this book. It was like the pages opened and I fell right into the middle of this heart wrenching but absolutely beautiful world that Hannah and Charlie created.
I can’t wait to read more from Staci and if you haven’t already, please please please pick up a copy or download this book right now! It’s the perfect story to curl up next to a fire with on a chilly, fall day!
My Final Rating: five out of five stars
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