Trudy Stiles

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

My urge to comfort her suddenly turns to a deep need. Desire. She was mine once, and my soul suddenly feels as if she still is. My heart pounds in my chest for this girl who was my everything.

You know those authors who come out of the gate swinging, delivering a darn near perfect debut novel, and you wonder how they can possibly ever top it? Well folks, Trudy Stiles doesn’t play around. She leaves a wave of destruction in her path through this angst filled, redemption forthcoming, heartbreaking, eye-opening second novel. Dear Tabitha is truly a book you NEED to read and one you won’t soon forget. Do you know the old saying? Every once in a while in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairytale? Well every once in a while, when you least expect it, an author gives you the perfect book. A story filled with so many emotions, so many twists and turns, that you are literally gasping for breath until the final page has turned.

I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her tight against me. I suddenly realize something that she’s probably not ready to hear.
I love her.

Dear Emily was the story of two women, one very special little girl, and the bond that brought them together. Told in dual POV, we barely skimmed the surface of the life that Tabitha has led. As heartbreaking as her tale was, it’s only going to get worse. Stiles doesn’t ease you into this book; no, she hits the ground running. Page after page I turned, hoping for some relief for my poor heart, but the tension just continued. As he was absent in the first book, I longed to read about Alex. We knew the broad details of why he was absent, but not what made him tick or where he was now. The beauty of this book is that it was once again told in dual POV, but this time it was Tabitha and Alex. Let me tell you; he was well worth the wait! Actually, I am mistaken. Technically, it was told with four POV’s; Tabitha’s past and present, and Alex’s past and present. If there’s one thing you take away from this book let it be this: sometimes in order to move forward in the present, you have to reconcile your past. Though we are reliving what brought them to this moment through their eyes, I felt like it was more of a retrospective for the reader. Tabitha isn’t the same self-destructive, screw the world mentality girl that we left in Dear Emily. We see it, her friends see it, Alex sees it, but most importantly, SHE sees is. While we left a shell of a girl, we return to a beauty of a woman. Inside and out, Tabitha’s heart truly is pure. Life has beaten her down but she’s still alive and kicking.

My past and my future are behind that door.

Ah!!!!! There are just so many things that I want to say in this review, but the details have to stop at this point. Believe me when I say that there are some major things that happen, and mentioning even one of them would be a huge disservice to you. Because to truly experience this book, you have to have the jaw-dropping, heart pounding moments that I did. This is one of those books where you are going to be constantly looking around each corner, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Until the epilogue I can honestly say there wasn’t a second I read without trepidation. Delicious, heartwarming, pulse pounding trepidation. And I loved every second of it!

“I love you. I don’t know any other way to put it, but I can’t stop loving you. I want to share these moments with you and grow with you, Tabs. Please, let’s not waste any more time.”

I will leave you with this: the emotions displayed between Alex and Tabitha, when they allowed their walls to crumble and their hearts to open, were enough to make the darkest of hearts smile. Here were two people with pasts SO dark that for all intents and purposes should have just given up on life, yet they were draw to each other, as if there were ever any other choice. As if there were ever ANY way they could NOT be together. Life isn’t always rainbows and kittens folks; I hate to break it to you. But maybe, just maybe, life hands us crap so that we can better appreciate when the good things DO come along. Because how can you truly grasp the gravity of greatness unless you’ve see what lies on the other side?

This was a story of forgiveness, redemption, and growth. It wasn’t until I neared the end of the book that I fully understood the gravity behind the titles of the books. In Dear Emily, she is writing letters that will not only change her life, but all of those around her. She was coming to terms with her decision, as painful as it was. She was making the choice to put someone else’s needs before her own. She was growing up. In Dear Tabitha, once again, letters are being written, and once again, those letters will change lives. One little letter changed the course of her entire life and everything she thought she knew. Little letters after that gave Tabitha her life back. Words on sheets of paper allowed Tabitha to come full circle, and what the outcome of that was, well, you’ll just have to read to find out for yourself. Just know this: it wrecked me, completely and utterly wrecked me. And I’m a better person for it.

I’m exactly where I’ve always wanted to be. Where I’m supposed to be. Our forever starts now.… (mer)

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a shame he fell so hard for me because I’m not sure I can love anyone again. Ever.

Welcome readers. Welcome to a story of two broken girls. Two girls that will literally jump off the page and rip your soul to shreds. Two girls that will burrow their way so deep in your heart, you will wonder how there is a time they weren’t always there. Two girls that will make you feel a range of emotion and shed tears when you think you can’t possibly have any left. A story filled with depth and range, the likes of which you won’t soon forget. A story of dreams; dreams realized and dreams crushed. A story of overcoming obstacles and discovering love. But most importantly, it’s a story of finding and loving yourself for who you are, no matter your flaws.

He is right. I don’t think I’ve ever needed a friend more than I do right now. I have no one. I’m alone. Alone in their present and alone with my past. Alone with my demons.

You have been forewarned; Dear Emily WILL grab you from page one and you will NOT want to stop reading until the very last word. We follow two young women throughout ten years of their lives. Well, two years for Tabitha (Tabby) and ten years for Carly. The storyline bounces back and forth between past and present for both women. The past flawlessly explains how they came to be the women they are today and why they made the decisions that shaped their future. The present heartbreakingly tells how their lives intersect, all coinciding with a tale so beautiful and real. The resulting story is so honest but I won’t go into detail. You can slightly gauge the direction it is headed, but this is truly something you need to experience with no preconceived notions. You would think that this would all get confusing. For all intents and purposes we have four different POV’s, and a constant time change. But that would be where you are wrong. Debut author Trudy Stiles writes with such passion and grace that you are effortlessly drawn into these flawed characters, left to experience pure raw emotion.

“I’ll still love you tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. I’m not going anywhere, Tabby. Ever. I’m here for you for as long as it takes for you to be fully here with me.”

Throughout the book there are many dark themes discussed, in detail. While this is NOT for the faint at heart, they are situations that are all too real for way too many. Without even seeing the words on the page, I never had to wonder how they were feeling. Their sorrow and passion bled from the pages, burrowing into my soul. I cried with them. I cried FOR them. For people to be SO uncaring and heartless, it breaks me to know that exists. If there was one major theme throughout this book it is that you are NEVER alone. Carly had her Wine Wednesday friends and Kyle. Well, they were her everyday friends, but I’m going to call them that. With the introduction of Kyle into this story, it took a whole other meaning for me. He melted my heart when it had been full of so much pain. In as much as he tirelessly worked to help Carly heal herself, he healed me. Back to friends. Tabby had Alex, Seth, and Kristen. For the first time in her life, Tabby had people she could count on. This girl WRECKED me! Devastatingly, curled in a ball on the floor, tears streaming wrecked me.

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I have hope. Hope that the crushing pain that I feel in my chest everyday will begin to fade. My youth is gone. My innocence is gone. My baby, Sara, is gone. But, Alex is here. And I have hope.

I absolutely adored this story and cannot wait to see where Trudy takes us next. Though Carly and Kyle’s story is over, Tabby’s is far from it. I fell in love with this character and desperately want for her to get her own happy ending. One where she is unconditionally loved, without exceptions. One where she is number one for someone. One where she is loved and treasured. Firstly though, she will have to learn to do this for herself. Family isn’t who you were born with, it’s who you choose. That statement was never truer than with this book. A solid 4.5 stars from me! Cannot wait for the next installment!… (mer)

4.5 Amazing Stars!!!!



I love when a book can grip you right from the first few pages, pull you in and not let you go until the very last page. Trudy has written a page turner. Her debut novel knocked my socks off and she is definitely an author to check out.

Two women. Carly and Tabitha. They each have suffered life-altering events that have left them both traumatically damaged.

This book is truly sensational. This is a story of survival, loss, friendship, second chances, hope, forgiveness and love.

Carly’s life was perfect until her security and innocence where ripped from her. The vast repercussions from horrific events threaten to destroy her stability and her chances for a happily ever after.

Kyle came into Carly’s life when she was at her worst, he showed her how to live again and that she was worth having love in her life. Kyle was genuine, a true man who loved his woman from the start and would do anything for her. He proved his love for Carly right from the start.

Tabitha Fletcher has constantly suffered from a very young age. She has been hiding from her past, which was full of sadness, loss and abuse. Tabitha has suffered a lot. Her last relationship left her feeling empty, useless, and she had no hope of redemption for herself.

When circumstances bring these two women together, can they work together and heal each other’s pain?

I absolutely LOVED this story.

These are two totally different women from totally different ends of the world as we know it. When something significant brings these two women into each other’s lives it starts an even more emotional journey for both women. Can Carly have everything she has ever wanted in life? Will Tabitha find the redemption she so believes she deserves?

I would tell anyone to go forth and embark on the journey with Carly and Tabitha. You will not be disappointed at all. You will need tissues. You will cry, you’ll get angry, and you will see happiness at the end.
… (mer)