Zane

Review of eBook

When she was fifteen, Noelle Mitchell ran away from home with her boyfriend, Reno, leaving her baby sister, Carolyn, her mother, and her father behind. She’s been gone for thirteen years and, in all that time, no one in her family has heard anything from her. Today, intent on apologizing for her actions all those years ago, she’s coming home.

When she returns, determined to explain, will she be welcomed? Will her explanation bring her family together again?

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This short story focuses on the Mitchell family: mother father, married daughter, Carolyn, her husband, Sam, and their daughter, Noelle. When long-missing daughter Noelle arrives on their doorstep on Christmas day, it’s clear that there are still some hard feelings about her abrupt disappearance some thirteen years earlier.

But this story is less about the characters and more about the message: family, forgiveness, and love. It’s bittersweet yet heartfelt; readers will find much to appreciate here.

Although the story neatly ties up the plot points, readers are likely to find themselves wishing there was more to the story. After all, everyone wishes to know what happens next!

Recommended.… (more)

I was gifted a copy of this book by a friend. I had high hopes of liking it because I had seen the movie and everyone knows books are better than movies right? Even with as many issues that I had with the movie, the book issues were more in my face which was disheartening because I REALLY had wanted to like this book.

I struggled with several parts of this book. Was the premise good? Absolutely! Which makes my disappointment that much greater. However, I never fully got on bard to Zoe being a sex addict as to the reason that she cheated on Jason. Nor did it make sense why she kept the relationship with Jason for all the years that she did. Even though marriages aren't just about sex or intimacy, it is a much-needed component in marriage because otherwise, you are just roommates. Needs need to be met. I wouldn't have held on to a relationship if I was just so unhappy. So the settling thing bothered me and a sex addict would have been looking for that desire to be fixed long before it had gotten to this point. Add in there are only three people besides Jason that she acted on this with. That isn't a sex addict. It was more like a woman trying to find comfort in touch from something that she was missing in her life. I think if the author had gone in that direction instead of a sex-addict stemming from something from Zoe's past it would have lent more credibility.

The writing at times felt juvenile or "hood" like and I hate even saying that as it is so derogatory but it is the only way that I can attribute it because it reminds me of the summers of my early twenties at barbeques with my best friend at her Aunt Ruby's house. It is what Danika would have called the way that she talked to her family and friends. It is not meant derogatory in the least, nor is it based on color. For people, like myself, that have seen the movie before the book, there are some big differences in what was kept. The relationship with Diamond was not even included and that surprised me since in the book she is one of the things selling the whole "Zoe is a sex addict" thing.

There was soooooo much drama that was over the top that I struggled with. There were parts that didn't need to be there and others that didn't even enhance the story. All in all, I am just frustrated because even though the movie was not my favorite thing, it sure gave me something to feast my eyes on even if I struggled with the plot. I am sad that this gift was$12.99 for an ebook. AN EBOOK. I am even sadder that other amazing books out there don't have the chance this book had by being made into a movie. I appreciate the author and her hard work but this was not my cup of tea.… (more)