Is this my first review I have done on this blog? I think it may be, but don't quote me on that, and while it will not be the last (hopefully) I am definitely excited to have the recently released, Indelible, by Bethany Lopez as the first.
*~* Warning: While I try not to give spoilers in reviews, some may sneak in, so don't read this if you don't want to know more about the book than just the blurb.
After year of partying, Sam decides to buckle down and focus on college. Things are going great until a one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. Raising a child while going to school isn’t easy, but Sam is determined to be strong for her daughter. She doesn’t have time for guys or relationships, and takes great care to protect her child and her heart. Judd doesn’t fit the mold of a college ballplayer. His long hair and tattoos may fit the life he’s created for himself, but baseball is the one thing he takes seriously. When he meets Sam, he’s immediately drawn to her curves and refusal to put up with his crap. When Judd learns the truth, can he handle the responsibility that comes with loving a single mother? Sam yearns for the fire that Judd fuels in her, but her child’s needs have to come first. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?
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Now, first things first, I must admit something. I typically do not read books like this. I'm a fantasy gal and don't usually like contemporary novels, because, well, I like to escape the world and contemporary is just too snug of a fit, if you know what I mean. When I clicked past the cover page on my Nook, I fully expected to be bored and move on to something else.
That being said, Bethany Lopez had me hooked by the 2nd page, and I was left reading into the wee hours of night because I felt like I had a vested interested in what happened to Sam. Samantha is an incredibly strong, interesting, and most of all realistic version of the college-aged mother, and I know this, because I have known quite a few. Her struggle between protecting her daughter and being a mother and wanting to just be any other college kid is very real and very poignant.
Then you meet Judd. I wanted to hate Judd, really, I did. But I found myself liking him almost immediately. While at first you think he's just a regular jock who likes women, you later learn how incredible sweet and responsible he really is. I found myself rooting for Judd as much as Sam, and hoping they didn't hurt one another as they figured out the complexities of this relationship.
And then Karrie, her two year old daughter. Oh my did that bring tears and laughter. I have a daughter who is turning two in just a few weeks, and this character was spot on. I felt myself smiling with the happy moments, nodding my head in sympathy during her outbursts, and crying along with Sam after one of the worst days. As a mom, I've been there, and it actually made me feel better that someone else was going through it too, even if that someone was...you know...in a book.
But really, I'm a sucker for a good ending, and Bethany Lopez can write an awesome one. I wasn't quite sure where the book was going to go, as you start to realize that this is the kind of love story that can't have a happy ending, not for both people. Bethany's ending was poignant, heart-wrenching, beautiful, and brought tears to my eyes. It could not have been truer to the story, to life, or to the situation. I loved it.
If you would like to pick up a copy of Indelible (and I HIGHLY suggest that you do), be sure to click the links below to be taken to the appropriate purchase link. (*Note* Links will be updated as more purchase opportunities arise)
Nook
