Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Book Review: Challenging Andie by Sally Clements

Challenging Andie

Author: Sally Clements
Paperback: 190 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform (June 23, 2012)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 274 KB
Print Length: 191 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477691359
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
Amazon Link


Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Sally Clements. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

It's been a while since the last time I've read  a pure romance book. For the past months, it's always been paranormal-ish romance books and reading this makes me want to buy more "normal romance" books.  Challenging Andie is a story of two people, Andie and Ryan, who don't believe in love. 

Andie grew up with her grandmother. She never had the chance to bond with Emily, her mother, as she is always away working as a war correspondent in Bekostan. As for Andie's father, he left them even before she was born and her mother never told her his identity. With no parents to care for her, she swore not to fall in love. Especially not with Ryan, who, like her mom, works as a war correspondent in Bekostan.  

Ryan also doesn't believe in love. When his father left them for another woman, he saw how it crushed his mother's world. Depression claimed his mother's life. Because of this, he avoids getting into a serious relationship until he meets Andie. He wants Andie but he can't do it since he doesn't want to go through the pain of losing someone close to him - ever again.

I think the author wove a very realistic love story of two people who don't believe in love. I can relate with the main character's dilemma. Falling in love isn't easy when you've been hurt before. I can feel their pain, though if I have to choose who gets hurt the most, it'd be Andie. You know that feeling when someone tells you straight in the face that what you have is just a "fling"? Ouch!

It was such a heart breaking story, one that I can't easily forget. I only have one comment on this book. The story is told in third person POV.  Knowing what they both feel somehow spoiled the story for me. It would have been better if this was written in first person, preferably Ryan's POV as he has so much issues going on. . .

I loved the story. I'll look forward to reading more from the author, Sally Clements.


About the book:

Is loving Ryan a challenge too far?

Jaded war correspondent Ryan Armstrong reports terrible events without letting them pierce the armor covering his heart. When his colleague Emily Harte is murdered, he feels responsible for her death, and travels to England to return Emily’s effects to her daughter.
Bereaved, primary school teacher, Andie Harte has set herself a list of challenges to prove she can be as brave as her recently murdered mother, but when she’s hounded by the press the need to escape means she must accept help from Ryan. During their time in seclusion, attraction blossoms into an affair. Their relationship was only supposed to be a fling. When the time comes for Ryan to return to Bekostan, can she risk loving a thrillseeker, or is that a challenge too far?

Ryan avoids love, knowing the pain losing it can bring. A life without Andie is sensible, but is it possible.

About the author:


Sally Clements lives and writes in the Irish countryside near Dublin. Always a voracious reader (and with a healthy book buying habit) she found the jump into writing a natural one, as it is the thing she likes to do more than anything else! 

She writes romance and crime. The romance grows from her love of characters, and their journey to their happy ever after, with lots of conflict and adventures along the way. And her crime satisfies her love of complex characters and compelling plots, with more often than not a twist in the tail.


And she's a twitter addict who loves meeting new people, @sallywriter

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