Title: Striving for Perfection
Series: Striving #2
Author: BL Mooney
Release Date: September 18, 2014
Synopsis
Perfection is a gimmick.
It’s something they use to sell you shit you don’t need. The perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect marriage. Photos of that perfect life are all around us, but none of it exists.
I know better because I take those photos. It’s all a ruse to make us think that's what we want. Behind closed doors, the house is a mess, the family is fighting, and that loving couple hates each other. I prefer a different city every week, laughing friends, and a variety of lovers.
Until Carl. I’m not sure what I want when he’s around.
Perfection is an illusion.
It’s something used to make you forget all the bad shit that happens in this world. It’s an unattainable dream not worth the effort.
I had the perfect home. The perfect family. The perfect marriage. Or so I thought. That illusion died with my wife and slammed me into reality. Aside from my daughter, business deals and making money is where my heart is now.
Until Rachael. I’m not sure what I feel when she’s around.
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Review
*** I Love Story Time was gifted an ARC in exchange for an honest Review ****
Ok... I'm going to be completely honest when I say that I'm not sure how I should rate this book. I think 3.5 Stars is a fair rating. Which in my opinion, isn't bad. It's good! Like just good.. and that is how I feel about this book. It' didn't hit some of the major points that I look for in a book. It had a good story line and good characters, but it didn't give me any more than that. I didn't cry. I didn't have an "OMG" moment, and I didn't really have any emotional up and downs. I didn't really "fall in love" with the main characters that I hope to.
Some of the events that took place in this story, I felt were dragged on. I think that the contract that Rachel found herself in with her ex was ridiculous. I think she could have done something way sooner regarding that aspect then she did. I think that her not saying anything to anyone about his abuse was unrealistic as well. I didn't connect with that part of the book at all. I felt things like that would have been reported and looked into, especially since she had no proof of the allegations he was threatening her with.
Don't get me wrong I did like Carl and Rachel as overall good characters. I like the relationship that all the supporting characters had within the story. I am interested in reading Deb's story to see how she overcomes the grief that she has been dealing with. I also wouldn't mind reading about the therapist, he seems interesting! LOL. I really like Carl's daughter Amy as well. She was a cute little thing. Although, even some of the stuff pertaining to her was a little over the top as well as far as her not being able to wear certain things or pretend to be a princess. Yes, I know it was her aunt that told Carl these things but I just couldn't believe that he would allow it in the beginning.
So...... was this book worth reading? Yes...it was. Will it be one of those books that will stay with you forever? I'm not quit sure. I do think that the author did a good job, I just like to feel more connected with my books and I didn't get that from Carl and Rachel's story. However, on a side note, when I was offered to read this book as an ARC it was noted that it can be read as a standalone. Well, when I first started reading it, I had to stop after the first few chapters. I had to go and purchase Book 1, Striving for Normal and read it before continuing to read book 2. To me, there is so much that went on in book 1 that you should probably read it before book 2. I am the kind of reader that likes to know all the background history of the characters and by reading book 1, I was able to get that for book 2. I would like to say that I did enjoy Striving for Normal (Dennis and Drew's Story) more. It gave me some of the things I missed in Striving for Perfection. I loved Dennis and I loved Drew. I was able to connect with them and get lost in their story on a different level. So, with that being said, I will still continue to read the up coming books in this series, and look forward to reading more about all the characters!
~Juls
Author Bio
B.L. Mooney started writing when the voices and storylines in her head ran out of room. They were getting too cramped and neither B.L. nor the characters could take it anymore, so she did the only thing she could do—she made room. She always knew she wanted to write, but vowed to make time for it later. Now that she’s made time for writing, most everything else falls to the wayside. That seems to suit the characters that keep popping up in her head just fine.
B.L. lives in the Midwest, and her other talents include in-demand cookies, a very dry sense of humor, and stealth eavesdropping. Some mannerisms, attitudes, or twists come from random sentences picked up while passing by strangers. So speak up the next time you have something to gossip about. You never know, it may just end up on the pages of the next book you read.
She loves to hear from her readers and you can contact her via email at AuthorBLMooney@gmail.com
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