Category: review request

#BOOKREVIEW: GRAINS OF TRUTH by ELIZABETH FERRY-PERATA @elizabethperata #ContemporaryWomen’sFiction

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading in 3 stars, Blogger Shame, contemporary, Paperback Arc, review request, Women's Fiction / 9 Comments

Title : Grains of Truth
Author: Elizabeth Ferry-Perata 
Publisher: 3L Publishing
Published : August 1, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Pages: 198
Format: Paperback Arc
Source: Author
Purchase: Amazon

I had this title on my review list for some time now, but did not get the chance to pick it up before now.  The synopsis piqued my interest, and I eagerly jumped into the story. After all, it is a story of love and friendship and I can never seem to resist stories such as these. However, the story did not wow me in the manner I expected and instead I ended up have mixed feelings about the story.
Grains of Truth introduces Sarah and Zoe two best friends who work in a family-owned feed store. Sarah is in love with Tom, the store owner’s son but her lowly background disqualifies her as an appropriate wife for the heir apparent. Zoe is a single mum and is not in the running for falling in love, but that was until she met the gorgeous Dr. Greenland.
I liked the concept behind the story. However, the story itself proved to be confusing. The first half of the book was fine, but by the beginning of the second half, I became a bit confused. An event occurred in the first half of the story to which I had no idea of the outcome. It was not until near the end of the second half of the story which occurred one year later that I found out what happened. I must admit I figured out what happened before it was revealed as such it came as no surprise to me.  What made it confusing was the manner in which the author portrayed the events leading up to the big reveal. There were instances where the story dragged, which I contribute to unnecessary details.
The aspect of the story I enjoyed most was the friendship that existed between Zoe and Sarah.  Without a doubt, they cared for each other. They had each other’s back through good and bad times. I also enjoyed the romance, which developed between Zoe and Dr. Green. It had its share of challenges, but I was glad to see how it all worked out in the end.
I had a difficult time with the characters as I disconnected from them and this disconnection bled over into the story. 
Of all the characters, Tom proved to be a big disappointment.  I found him to be weak as he lacked the guts to stand up to his father when it came to his personal life. He preferred to stand aside and allow him to choose for him all in the name of the business. His weakness led to him breaking Sarah’s heart.
Tom’s father was a hateful man. I disliked his persona. Chauvinistic and arrogant and he was women as inferior. He spoke about them in a disrespectful and belittling manner.
My feelings about Sarah were mixed. Initially, I admired her efforts to rise above the stigma surrounding her family. She did not allow her parents’ bad choices define her. However, I disliked it when she chose to follow a destructive path after things between her and Tom went south. It was then I realised she was not as strong as I had first believed. I did sympathise with her on some levels, because having your heart broken by the man you love is not a wonderful experience.
Zoe proved to be a wonderful mother and friend. However, when it came to affairs of the heart she was wary, which was understandable, given what transpired with her past relationship.
This was said to be an emotional read, but unfortunately, it failed to peak on my emotions chart. I almost did not finish reading the book, but I kept reading, as I needed to satisfy my curiosity. In the end, I am satisfied that I had completed the story as the many questions I had were answered.
Conclusion/Recommendation
To close, the story did not deliver the intensity and passion as promised based on the synopsis. Neither did it move me to tears.  Despite not meeting my expectations, I still found some aspects of the story entertaining.

What are the lies we tell ourselves to stay sane?
In the world of a Texas feed store, the line between reality and truth blurs when love and

friendship are at stake. Meet Sarah and Zoe, two best friends who work in a family-owned feed

store.  Their lives begin to unravel when love sparks between Sarah and the feed store owner’s
only heir, Tom. Patriarch Otis quickly makes it known that his only son’s future won’t include the
feed store “girl”. The clash over Tom’s love life erupts in a family feud where business is
expected to trump love. 
In the meantime, a romance also ignites between Zoe and the local
town physician whom she nicknames “Dr. Sex on Two Legs”. The women are quickly caught up
in a family feud that leads to unexpected consequences, loss and tragedy.
Grains of Truth is an intense, emotional and passion-filled story about two best friends looking
for that one thing everyone wants — love. It’s a story about friendship and accepting what you
can’t change. 
Grains of Truth will move you to tears and leave you astonished. It’s a must-read
story with an unexpected twist.

Nadene @ Totally Addicted to Reading

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