 Contemporary Romance |
OPEN YOUR HEART Michelle Monkou BET/Arabesque November 2002 (3+) Alicia Thomas |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
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| Burned by betrayal and heartbreak, former lovers Shelly Bishop and Justin Thornton risk their fragile trust in hopes of a chance to lay both their unhappy pasts to rest and at last find the love of a lifetime. | |
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REVIEW: |
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When OPEN YOUR HEART begins, we are introduced to Justin and Shelly. Justin is in charge of the family bank while his father struggles with health issues. After the tragedy that ended his first marriage, Justin is not only gun shy but hostile about the thought of relationships. His only concern is maintaining the success the bank enjoyed under the leadership of his father.
Shelly has temporarily moved back to her hometown to help her parents with her troubled niece. She is a nurse who is doing temporary work at a doctor’s office. Her life is consumed with work, her niece and her volunteer work at a women’s shelter. While home, Shelly is struggling to face the demons that ran her away.
The two meet when Justin has to present the Volunteer of the Year award to Shelly. He is captivated because she is totally different from the women he is used to seeing at these social events. Shelly is wary because she isn’t sure that his intentions are honorable. Because of a past incident, she is unsure of her ability to tell friend from foe. When Justin’s father hires Shelly, they are forced to deal with the attraction neither would rather feel.
I liked the story concept. Ms. Monkou took a daring risk with her main characters because they each had damaged so severely. Yet the push and pull of Justin and Shelly leaves the reader frustrated. The information about Shelly was scattered. There were several references to her personality before the incident. The reader is left to decide whether or not she should be that person again. The flow of the story is choppy for the first half of the book. It makes it difficult to get drawn into the lives of the characters. Ms. Monkou finds the right rhythm for the remainder of the novel, which finally draws the reader into the story.
I did enjoy OPEN YOUR HEART. It is an interesting first offering. I am looking forward to the next novel. |
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alicia@romanceincolor.net (24th October 2002) |
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