REVIEW - Pieces Of Forever by Stephanie Hoffman McManus

Title - Pieces Of Forever

Author - Stephanie Hoffman McManus

 

 

Synopsis

When Olivia Adams said "I do" and promised to love her high school sweetheart, Tyler Tate, forever, she didn't expect forever to end so soon. After a tragic accident one year later, she is left to pick up the pieces of her shattered forever. Struggling to make it through each day without him, she tries to cling to the one dream she thought she had left, making it to the National Women's Soccer League. When once again her world is turned upside down, she's left to figure out who she is without Tyler and without soccer.

Casey Hunt was never supposed to be more than her athletic trainer, but when they find themselves neighbors, will he be the one that helps her find the faith and strength she needs to build her life again? And what will Olivia do when he begins to awaken feelings in her that she thought died with Tyler? She has to decide if she's ready to open her heart back up and risk love again. But the secret Casey is keeping might be the thing that destroys her second chance at forever.

Recommended 17+ for mature content

What I Thought

Sometimes one has to hit rock bottom before learning to fly. Pieces of Forever is what I call a come back love story. It’s tragic and heart breaking but at the same time its beautifully whole.

Olivia fell in love when she was 12 to the boy down the street. He was the ying to her yang and kept her grounded and out of trouble. They had the kind of unwavering love that every girl hopes to have. Only to have it ripped away from her a year into their marriage. Suddenly she doesn't know what to do or how to be on her own at almost 21. All she has is soccer which she plays on the college level until she takes another blow and is forced off the field.

Casey works with Olivia’s soccer team. He loved watching her flourish and is hating watching her drown. So he becomes what she needs, a friend after almost all hers walk a way. Only problem is he's always had a small flame for her that only grows with the more time they spend together.
Casey is simply amazing. He's the kind of guy that will drop everything if Olivia asks. He will hold her when she cries and help her take her mind off of everything going on. Will this budding friendship turn into the forever kind of love Casey is wishing for? Or will it all be taken away once his secret is out?

I really enjoyed Pieces of Forever. It was different then what I am used to reading from McManus. I love how she tied in her Ever After series. Not only did I enjoy the main characters but the secondary as well. Casey and Olivia’s friends were the type of friends everyone wants. McManus made me feel like I was there. I got completely lost in the book. Pieces of Forever reminded me that you never know how much time you’ll have and to never take life for granted.

Here are some pieces of Pieces of Forever that stuck with me:

"You two had the kind of love that keeps Disney in business. It’s the reason Taylor Swift writes songs and the reason I keep downloading those damn romance novels. Everyone wants that fairy tale and you had it. That’s not the kind of love that ever ends. He’s watching over you. I know it because I know there’s no power, not even death, which could stop that kind of love."

"Sometimes a song can reach right inside you and expose everything you’re keeping locked up in there, like the song was written just for you. It rips you apart and it’s heart breaking, but it’s also healing and comforting knowing that someone else out there gets it."

"You need someone who pushes you and sparks that passion that made you such a fighter. I think you need to let Casey breathe the life back into you and remind you of who you are, because I do think he knows who that is, even if you doubt it or don’t know yourself."

"Every day he was patient and gentle with me. Never demanding, except when his mouth was claiming mine. He never asked more of me than I wanted to give him and he reminded me of why they call it falling in love. Because it’s effortless and out of your control. For me it felt like I would never stop falling."

 

Star Ratings:
Plot- 4/5
Characters- 4/5
Heat- 3/5
Writing style- 4/5
Overall Rating- 4/5