Monday, September 19, 2016

If I Could Do It Again by Ashley Stoyanoff

Title:  If I Could Do It Again
Author:  Ashley Stoyanoff
Publication Date:  September 26/16
Length:  232pgs
Genre:  contemporary romance
Shelf:  review
My Rating: ★★★★★
Book Links: GoodreadsAmazon(US)Amazon(CA) - B&N - Kobo - Indigo - Smashwords

Back Cover Blurb:

Romance novelist Victoria Clarke seems to have it all: adoring husband, successful career, beautiful home. At least that’s what outsiders think.

In reality, her husband is emotionally abusive, and their marriage is falling apart. Victoria is miserable but suffers in silence until she encounters the charming Joshua Larson while researching a new book.

She meets him in the most unconventional way—through a prisoner pen-pal website. Though Victoria is hesitant at first, she’s drawn to this intriguing, misunderstood man. He was charged with murder for his part in a bar fight, implicated for wearing the colors of his motorcycle club. She believes him when he says it was self-defense.

The two exchange letters and then talk on the phone. Joshua gives Victoria everything she’s been missing—support, confidence, affection, and passion.

Victoria can’t help but ponder a new life, leaving her awful husband and Canada behind for her new friend in the United States. After all, Joshua will be free in four years, and she’s beginning to believe that he’s the love of her life.

If she takes a leap of faith, will Joshua turn out to be her soul mate, or is he hiding something sinister?

My Review:

Stoyanoff is definitely thinking outside the box with this one.  She had me laughing, crying, and ready to throttle the characters in turn.  The emotional high was fantastic.  She contrasts things at their lowest with the warmth that comes from those who truly care.  The seamless writing draws you in while the evocative dialogue brings the entire story to life.  And the spicy parts?  They really add to the story and the relationship between the main characters.  

This is the type of story that shows you what real friends are for.  The contrast between Joshua wanting to show Victoria the best version of herself and Richard not wanting her to see that there is a good version of herself was striking.  Throughout it all, I was floored by how genuine Joshua's character seemed.

This is one novel that definitely packs a punch.  This emotionally hard hitting novel is one that I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for a one of a kind, outside the box romance.


1 comment:

  1. This sounds fun. I like that protagonist is a writer too:)

    ReplyDelete