Title: Still
Life
Author: A.M. Johnson
Loss… a word Elizabeth Haddington knows only too well. Despite
the tragedies she’s endured, she’s been able to rise from the adversity she’s
faced and begin her life again. Being a self-assured and strong woman, she
knows she doesn’t need anyone to make her whole.
HHate, pain, and twisted memories are all Sawyer
Bryant’s ever known. He’d slowly lost who he was and what he should’ve become.
His only escape was the military… Eight years later, as an ex-Navy SEAL, he’s
forced to confront his father and their disturbed and violent past.
Then one day, his life is turned upside down, when he glimpses
a woman singing in her car at a set of traffic lights. Thinking he’d never
see her again, amazingly he finds her performing with her band at the local
bar. This chance encounter brings these two lost souls together. Once Sawyer
gets a taste of her melodic voice, there’s no turning back.
For Elizabeth, when she meets Sawyer… she
realizes she’s fallen hard. But is this really love she’s feeling or
does love build slowly over time?
What happens when fate turns things around
on you, creates flashes you can’t turn from… moments that will shape your life?
They are faced with the choice of darkness
surrounding them or to rid themselves of the guilt
and pain and move toward the light.
This story is about life’s moments. How
they can make you or break you, and one man’s hope that… Love, won’t judge him.
It was unseasonably warm for late September, with
the windows down in my car I enjoyed the dry breeze as I pulled up to the
traffic lights. My eyes were drawn to the car next to me. She was enjoying the
warm spell too. Her windows were down and she was blaring some unknown music
from her stereo. The side of my mouth pulled into a grin as I watched. She
didn’t notice me watching at first. She sang freely, her voice strong and
beautiful. The song was feminine and the guitars were light. She had long very
dark hair pulled into a high ponytail. I was
transfixed.
Suddenly, she started and bit her bottom lip. Her
once tall posture and confidence waned. Slowly, she glanced over to look at me,
chagrin written all over her face. I couldn’t tell, was she blushing? She was
embarrassed to have been caught that’s for sure, her solo concert abruptly
ended. I gave her a huge smile. She just bit her lip again and looked forward,
sinking into her seat. I watched as she fidgeted uncomfortably,
waiting for the light to change. She was so pretty. No, not pretty, but plainly
beautiful. I suddenly had a crazy urge to call out to her, ask her name when
she sped off. The car behind me honked their car horn and I was sharply pushed
from my reverie.
I pulled into my apartment complex. I felt dejected.
I wanted to see that girl again.
I focused on that memory while I looked down at her in that
hospital bed. I tried to stop the bleeding, she’d lost so much blood. She was
here now, eyes closed, her silky hair ran through my fingers. This small touch
caused shivers to run up my spine. I placed a small kiss on her cool
cheek. Resting my forehead against hers, her breathing light and steady, blew
against my lips. We’d get through this. We had to, there was no other
choice…
My Review:
The blurb for Still Life pulled at me, and I am glad I took the emotional roller coaster ride I did while reading Still Life by A. M. Johnson.
These two main characters, Sawyer and Elizabeth, have both been through so much, have so much hurt, and are so lonely that the instant connection between them was such a good feeling. The feelings are real and the journey Elizabeth and Sawyer go through in Still Life captivated me. I really liked both of these characters...their connection, their chemistry, and how they are working through things. I felt like I knew Sawyer and Elizabeth through A. M.'s writing. Sawyer really got to me, with all he's been through and the way he is now...responsible, protective, and trying to move forward. Nothing is easy in this relationship, but I liked that they both might find good and happiness after all the bad. The ultimate choice will be theirs.
The secondary characters are great in Still Life, they add a lot of dimension and believabilty with all the dynamics they bring to the plot.
A. M. Johnson writes a book with a great pace that definitely held my interest. With a mix of emotions, I liked how A. M. wrote about touchy subjects with sensitivity. This was well done.
Finding second chances, happiness and strength, Still Life is a great read I'd recommend to romance readers looking for an emotional adventure!
My rating: 4/5 stars
href="http://open.spotify.com/user/12150951606/playlist/3LvntClaSpKWkI77snTVrR">
Amanda Marie Johnson was born and raised in Valrico, Florida.
She’s now surrounded by mountains with her husband and three children in Ogden,
Utah. She attended Weber State University and graduated with her A.S.N. She is
a full-time registered nurse and works on the mother/newborn unit. Reading and
writing have always been something she is passionate about. She loves to write
about the human experience, love and happily ever afters. Still Life is her
debut novel.
No comments:
Post a Comment