Expat

Expat!

A story of redemption and renewal by way of Taipei ~ Review by MGoodwin
With frenetic Taiwan as the backdrop, this novel captures a relationship in decline, marred by uncertainty, loneliness, and suspicion. The expat lifestyle and its trappings--drivers, maids, banquet dinners--alienate Lace, the once doting wife, and push her in search of new relationships to fill the ebb of her own marriage. As the novel progresses, her own life begins to mirror that of a coterie of Expat friends, who share tales of infidelity and alcoholism over long lunches at the American Club, where grilled cheese is served alongside tears, angst, and longing for home. The story reaches a fever pitch when loss of friends, family, and love threatens everything Lace has. Highly recommend.

She is faced with people who aren't who they claim to be… #mysterybook EXPAT! #contemporary #romance"

Book Description:

The story takes place in the early 1990's, long before anyone had heard of the term "globalization". It is set in Asia and is seen through the eyes of an expatriate named Lacey. She is a young professional who decides to become a stay-at-home mom. Her husband is offered a job in Taiwan and they decide to accept. Lacey is going to live like a queen. She will have a driver, cook, maid and paid vacations. She will have more money than she ever dreamed of. However, almost immediately, she is faced with people who aren't who they claim to be…. and aren't who she wants them to be.

This world is full of excitement, new experiences, feng shui, underground cities, lies, misconceptions and heartbreak. As Lacey struggles with her marriage, struggles with her new role and struggles with betrayal, she also struggles with her identity.

Unfortunately, loneliness and frustration travel the ocean. Far away from home, people's frailties surface... the highs one experiences are higher, the lows are much lower. Lacey meets a captivating man named Steve. She flirts with betrayal and ultimately becomes a victim to his charm.

Expat!

On Amazon!

Affairs & Atonement

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From the very on-set, Ashton isn't the perfect hero. He makes mistakes. He regrets them. He works on amending them. ~ Author Clarissa Cartharn (read more about this novel from Clarissa Cartharn on her blog doodlenook.blogspot.com.au)

Before I share the enticing book description, I wish to say that I have noticed that people either love or hate this book and I think I know why. It seems to me that this novel evokes deep emotions in people. If someone had an experience that dug up old wounds then I can see why they may have an adverse reaction. It’s not about whether the book is good or not, they are taking what the characters have done – “personally”. This fact alone made me buy the book! I want to see what all the fuss is about.

Affairs & Atonement ~ Book Description:

The end of an affair, the beginning of atonement… why ever did love hurt like hell?

He married her at eighteen and then she disappeared hours into their marriage.
That was eleven years ago and Ashton Pryor was certain he was over Christy Huntley. He had moved on. He got engaged.

But old ties have to be severed first before new ones can be made. Now he needed to find Christy more than ever. He needed to divorce her to marry Naomi Landon.

But when you hunt someone for as long as he had done, can you really say you’re over her?

REVIEW BY K. BENNETT

“It hurts, she put a palm over her heart. It hurts so much.”

You bet it did! I was in such an emotional point at this stage of the book, I was literally tearing up as I read on. As you might have guessed from that short quote, this book is one hell of an emotional roller-coaster ride.

First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful. You can already see the angst on it. And once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I loved how the author could touch me so emotionally. I was angry, laughing, hurting at one time or the other.

We meet Christy and Ashton as teenagers and like most teens, they make mistakes which they regret later as adults. Ashton re-enters Christy’s life eleven years later so he can atone for the hurt he had caused her in their teen years. Of course, he still loves her. But he struggles internally to leave his high-flying life as an advertising executive to lead a more humble one with Christy. I love that he just didn’t give up his job because he’s oh-so love in Christy. I suppose I would have been annoyed if he had. I enjoyed the emotional struggles he went through to make his decision.

This is a very true to life romance. Ashton is a hero who can be all Alpha but at the same time he is flawed. He isn’t perfect. But you can see he tries and does his best for Christy and that is redeemable. I found myself all gooey over the banters he had with Christy as he works hard in trying to win her affection back. But he does more than that. He makes an effort to also charm the people in her life and he certainly charmed his way into my heart. When I was angry or frustrated with him, it was only because I cared. This is a real man.

As for Christy, you know she still loves him. But the woman does make him work damned hard for hurting her so much. She is a great character and very real. She doesn’t simply hop into bed with Ashton at very first sight. You can see she is struggling against her choice of falling in love with Ashton again.

The author has a great style of writing and it almost felt as if I was watching a movie. She certainly has a way with dialogues and descriptions that make you feel you are right there with the characters.
Overall, highly recommended. A great read.
 

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