Promise You’ll Never Forget Me

Title: Promise You’ll Never Forget Me

Author: Leah Leonard

Publisher: Devine Destinies

Publisher URL: http://www.devinedestinies.com/

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-77111-026-6

Genre: {M/F} Sweet, Paranormal, Inspirational

Rating: 2.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Rose Nymph 

When Stephanie bumps into old flame David at the coffee shop, she is pleasantly surprised. She remembers the good time with fondness, but it isn’t long before David’s faults remind her that her life has moved on. David is the same impulsive guy, asking if he can whisk her away on a romantic hiking trip. Of course she says no – David is in her past and should stay there. It doesn’t stop thoughts of him popping into her head at the strangest times though. 

A week later, Stephanie hears the tragic news that David was killed while hiking. She is devastated and can’t stop thinking about the “what if’s”. Her friends and family are trying to help, but their advice is just making her more confused. Just when she thinks she can let go of the past, David’s spirit starts appearing to her. Can Stephanie ever come to terms with what has happened? 

I was hooked by the premise of Promise You’ll Never Forget Me – a woman seemingly getting the chance to find peace after suffering the tragic loss of a past love. The characters are realistic and the author does a good job of conveying a past between Stephanie and David. The effect David has on Stephanie is quite touching and poignant in places. However, my overall feeling of this story is that depth of character was sacrificed in order to push the plot forward. The characters are nice, but I couldn’t really connect to them. Stephanie comes across as a bit self-absorbed, which is pretty realistic when it comes to bereavement, but I just wanted the story to have the substance it deserved. Perhaps I am being unfair as loss is a difficult subject to tackle, but the inspiration was lost on me personally.

Shell Shocked

Title: Shell Shocked
Author: Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks
Publisher: Pink Petal Books
Publisher URL: http://www.pinkpetalbooks.com/
ISBN: 9780982543566
Genre: {M/M} Pagan Inspirational
Rating: 5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Scandalous Minx

For Sean Dempsey, coming home from Iraq with artificial knees and scorched retinas is a tiny portion of his problems. However, it’s his panic attacks are the icing on the cake. The medicine needed for those and his constant pain has Sean feeling trapped and alone at times. Nevertheless, one trip to his local clinic is about to change his life.

Gabriel Herne has his own troubles, but he doesn’t allow life to get him down as it once had. A legless existence has made life hard for Gabe, but he muddles through and is thankful for each blessing as it comes. His latest blessing is in the form of a former soldier, Sean.

Sean and Gabe have a rocky road ahead of them, but with time, patience and love, the two men will come out better than anyone ever imagined.

I have to say that Angelia Sparrow and Naomi Brooks never cease to amaze me with their stories and themes. I can always look forward to a bit of originality, mixed in with some tough life lessons in their books, as demonstrated by their newest release Shell Shocked. It was hard to choose which of these two characters I loved the most. Each of them had their share of baggage and I’ll admit I was humming Erykah Badu while reading this book. I seriously doubted their friendship could grow into a lasting relationship and was I ever wrong. The way they sought out their strengths and combined them without consciously doing it was something to behold. In addition, regardless of their less than ideal situations at times, they refused to let the other suffer. Gabe’s beliefs suited him and while it adds flavor to the telling of their tale, it doesn’t make the story about religion. I loved how it was incorporated in strategic locations, which to me symbolized its importance. Faith is a valuable tool that can help you float even during rough tides. These men had faith in love, their Gods and each other. This was definitely a feel good book for me. It proved that life might take away something you hold valuable, but you always get something twice as important in return.

If you’re looking for a romance with a twist, then you’ll love Shell Shocked.