REVIEW: BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY by BELINDA BORING

Posted on October 10, 2016 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 5+ Stars, Belinda Boring, Contemporary Romance, Damaged Souls, Military Romance, Review, Second Chance Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Bittersweet Symphony
Author:  Belinda Boring
Series: Damaged Souls
Publisher: Blushing Heart Press
Published: August  20, 2016
Source: Author
Format: ebook
Page # 338


BUY: AMAZON



How do you piece together a broken soulโ€”a spirit so crushed and battered from the weight of guilt and self loathing that the only conceivable way to keep breathingโ€”to keep placing one foot in front of the otherโ€”is to erect four solid, impenetrable walls to protect your heart? 


Simple: you donโ€™t. 


At least thatโ€™s what I thought. The change was almost too faint to notice at first but it began with her. Itโ€™s always been about her. Whether she knew it that night when she came to the bar and approached me after the show, I donโ€™t know. But she started something inside me that I couldnโ€™t fight or resist until it was too late. With her smile, her forgiveness, her friendship, Caylee Sawyer saved me that night and every day that followed. Patiently she showed me that the grief Iโ€™d buried under a mountain of a lifestyle of ‘not-giving-a-damn’ still needed an outletโ€”to be acknowledged. To be released. 


She saved me. 
I just hope I donโ€™t screw it up.


โ€˜Forgiveness came by being brave enough to follow your heart, wherever that journey took youโ€™
Having read โ€˜Bittersweet Melodyโ€™, (which I absolutely loved) I was eagerly awaiting the release of โ€˜Bittersweet Symphonyโ€™.  I am so glad that I got the opportunity to complete Cooper and Caylee’sโ€™ story. This was an incredible conclusion to what I considered to be a heart-wrenching, bittersweet and unforgettable story of two people whose love for each other has endured pain, loss, and tragedy.
The story picked up where book one left off. Caylee and Cooper are officially a couple. Things appear to be going well, despite Cooperโ€™s ongoing struggles with PTSD. Caylee was his healing balm. Because of her, he was able to get through each day, however, due to his failure to let go of the guilt over his best friendโ€™s death he risked destroying the very thing he held dear. Would Cooper allow the demons of his past to destroy what he and Caylee had?
The pacing was slow, however, the story was not boring. In fact, I was compelled to read on as I was curious to discover how the story would unfold. This is not the type of story that can be rushed.  It has to be consumed as one would consume fine wine. I must confess, that as I approached the last few chapters, I was afraid to continue. Why?  Well, to be honest, I didnโ€™t like the route that Cooper and Caylee’sโ€™ relationship was taking. I was thinking, โ€˜That canโ€™t be happening not after all they have been throughโ€™.   However, I moved past the fear and continued and I am glad I did.
In reading this series my eyes were opened to the effects that PTSD can have on an individual as well as their family and friends. My heart went out to Cooper, seeing him struggle on a daily basis not knowing when an incident, a word or anything for that matter would trigger an episode. I know it could not have been easy living like that. As for Caylee all I can say is โ€˜Wow!โ€™ She demonstrated how much she loved Cooper with her patience and kindness.  While reading, I was reminded of the fact that no matter how strong we may believe we are, we are unable to overcome pain and trauma without emotional and physical support.
โ€˜Bittersweet Symphonyโ€™ was more than a romantic story. It spoke of healing, forgiveness, love and letting go of the pain of our past. It demonstrates that letting go of the pain of our past is the first step in the healing process.  Holding on to the past will destroy our future happiness. Blaming ourselves for things outside of our control is not healthy and will eventually destroy us physically, mentally and emotionally.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style. The manner in which she conveyed the emotions of the characters and described every scene made me feel as if I was a part of the story and not just viewing from the sidelines.

Verdict: 
This was an awesome story and one which I highly recommend.

                                 

I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions expressed above are a true and fair reflection of my views of the book.



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