Let’s get this out of the way shall we? Caroline Nolan is the real deal. I’m not pulling your leg, I really think Ms. Nolan is FOR REAL. I obtain books to review from several sources- NetGalley, pitches from publicists, PR companies, blog tour companies, books I read and buy on my own and books that are submitted via the SSBR review request. I’d have to say, that the last way yields the most interesting variety of books where quality is concerned. Needless to say, I vet those pretty thoroughly and sometimes it pays off and I discover a new author and sometimes… not so much.
In the last few months, I’ve been completely underwhelmed by the books I’ve read, to the point that my review writing muse has all but deserted me at times. So, I made a resolution to look harder at the review requests I get from self-published authors. After reading This Is Love, I’m super psyched that I followed through on my reading resolution because I truly enjoyed this book and I’m truly excited about what this author has to offer.
This Is Love is not a depressing book so don’t be afraid to read it for fear that it’s sad and angsty. Rachel loved her fiance very much and they were well on their way to a happy life together when he died. After his death, Rachel has an extremely difficult time moving forward in her daily life. Thankfully, she has family and friends who love and support her and are there to help her take those steps to start her life again. Rachel’s subconscious kicks in- in its own way as far as coping is concerned and she begins to have dreams where she and Ben interact. In these dreams, her time with Ben satisfies her despair over him. I really enjoyed this part of the story because it’s a totally different way for a character to process how to move forward after losing a loved one. The moments were sweet and the reader learns a lot about Rachel and Ben and their relationship. I’m tip-toeing through this part of the review because I don’t want to give away too much of the book and Rachel’s journey.
While Rachel interacts with Ben in her dreams, she meets the most amazing man and let’s face it, he would have to be amazing to get Rachel to even think about anyone other than Ben. Jackson is a complete gentleman and he doesn’t push Rachel but he makes no bones about how he feels about her.
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His eyes darken slightly. “This isn’t romance,” he says, correcting me. “This is a restaurant with good food and wine. Romance is what happens in the between. Moments I haven’t had a chance to show you yet.”
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And he delivers. Holy moly. The sexytimes between these two are equal parts sexy and romantic without being over the top. The moments between them flow so smoothly and feel true to the characters and the pace of the development of their relationship. As I write my review, I look at my highlights and notes and it reminds me of how much I liked Jax (Jackson). (He’s a gentleman without being a beta but isn’t an alpha asshole.)
Nolan gently leads the reader and Rachel through the grieving process and through the process of falling in love. I really hope that this author gets noticed more because I think there is a lot of potential and I just love the way she writes.
Other things to know:
- FYI- this book made me cry. Yep. It doesn’t happen often but I totally lost it with this one and it was a completely bittersweet moment. 😢
- Technically, it was well edited and beautifully formatted. As I read it, I kept thinking “I need a hard copy of this book. It’s so pretty.”
- I want more from Rachel and Jax… hint, hint. I could totally read more about them 😉
- If you like: Tracey Garvis- Graves or Claudia Connor you’ll enjoy Ms. Nolan
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I do hope you take a chance on this author, I think she is worth your reading time and money. Check out the interview and giveaway below! And if you read it, come back by and let me know what you thought.
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Purchase:
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Can you tell us a little about your journey to becoming an author?
It’s hard for me to pinpoint a beginning…lol. Years ago, I started a career in writing, but it was as a fashion coordinator for online magazines. From there, my career led to different paths and my writing was put on hold. At the same time, my husband’s career took him in a direction where our schedules didn’t always match up. So I had a lot of down time. I started reading…a lot. I was introduced to many Indie Authors, sometimes reading a book a day! While reading, I couldn’t help to but think, ‘what would I have this character say?’ or ‘how would I end this story?’ Before I knew it, I was creating my own stories. So I started putting some down to paper.
What made you want to write Rachel’s story?
The idea for Rachel’s story came to me while watching an episode or Criminal Minds. A strange connection, I know. But after the thought popped in my head, it wouldn’t go away. Ideas just kept getting added and added, so much so I started keeping notes. I think Rachel’s story was a test for me to see if I could do it. If I could put my ideas down to paper, if it would make sense, and if I would follow through to the end. I’m so happy to say I passed my own test!
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I’m a plotter in the sense that I have the major arcs, catalysts, and ideas planned beforehand. How I got there, that surprised me a bit. Things characters said actions they took, sometimes I was even surprised at the words I wrote. The one thing that happened with both This Is Love and the novel I’m working on now is that the epilogue was planned out before anything else. I suppose it gives me direction on how I have to finish.
Do you have any rituals when you write?
Rituals, no. I’m fairly inconsistent when I write. Sometimes I have light music playing, other times I need silence. Sometimes I write on my couch, other I’m sitting at a desk. The one consistency that I have, is that I write during the daytime only.. By nighttime, I’m tired, my brain doesn’t work and my typing gets scary…
Favorite snack?
Unfortunately, I’ll eat anything and everything. Crackers, fruit, hummus. I recently gave up dairy. I’m still struggling with not eating cheese.
Favorite drink?
While writing, coffee. The weird thing is, I think I like having the smell of it near me more than I like drinking it. Most time, my mug is still half full after I’ve reached my goal.
What’s a typical day like in your writing life?
Typical day… I go to the gym in the mornings and then I’m back and writing by 10 or 11 am. I don’t follow a rule of how many hours I need to put in a day. When I write, my goal is to complete a chapter. Sometimes those chapters are longer, some are shorter. I’ll spend anywhere from 4-8 a day writing, depending on the chapter I’m working on.
Who are some of your favorite authors and books?
Too many to count! Perhaps my favorite book is The Time Traveler’s Wife. I LOVED that book when I first read it. The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher is the first indie book I ever read. From there, it led me to so many fantastic authors and books. Everyone from Christina Lauren to Emma Chase, Colleen Hoover to Mia Sheridan. Like everyone, I loved the Harry Potter books, the Bronze Horseman trilogy. I’m a very eclectic reader.
What’s up next for you?
Up next is Everything Unexpected. It’s my second novel, set to release this summer (fingers crossed!) It’s a dual POV so that’s interesting to write! I’m currently going through edits and then it will be sent to my editor!
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