Review by Brandi Noelle -- Hello, My Love by Evy Journey

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Brandi Noelle
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Review by Brandi Noelle -- Hello, My Love by Evy Journey

Post by Brandi Noelle »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hello, My Love" by Evy Journey.]
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2 out of 4 stars
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Hello, My Love by Evy Journey, Book One of her Between Two Worlds series, receives 2 out of 4 stars as an introspective romance that flirts with a hint of mystery. Billed as somewhat of a whodunit, it fails to invoke the expected suspense and tension deserving of such a description.

Law student Elise Halverson is an ambitious young woman with her sights set on a life fulfilled by helping the less fortunate. She prides herself on her strong work ethic and high moral compass, never one to meander off the path of the straight and narrow. Until she meets Greg Thorpe.

The notorious playboy receives nothing but contempt from the beautiful daughter of his business consultant, Dr. Charles Halverson, yet he can’t stop thinking about her. The fact that she is nothing like the women he usually spends time with only serves to further pique his interest. He is determined to win her over despite the fact that he is engaged to another woman.

The two eventually form a flirtatious friendship as they dance around their feelings for one another while his wedding day approaches. But, when one night together brings about life-altering consequences, they must decide if their love is strong enough to overcome everything that stands in their way. There may be something sinister plaguing them and only with the discovery of the truth can they ever begin to move forward together.

Hello, My Love starts out promising enough as the book opens in the middle of Greg and Elise’s playfully sarcastic friendship, allowing the reader to get a sense of their light-hearted camaraderie and the underlying romantic feelings that accompany it. In these scenes, both characters are likeable and the reader can sympathize with the forbidden love angle. The book bounces around a bit as the author tells the backstory that led to the couple’s friendship after months of Elise’s rebuking all of Greg’s attempts at conversation. But, it all ties together neatly in what appears to be a sturdy foundation for a blossoming romance.

As their love for each other is revealed, the complications that arise lead to a chain of events in which the couple is left at a loss for the next step. Readers who have suffered through the trials of romantic relationships can relate to the ebbs and flows of certainty, especially in the early stages when love is new. This further strengthens the characters and, thus, the link of commonality they have with the audience.

Unfortunately, that is where the growth of the storyline comes to a screeching halt. The events that follow as Greg and Elise suffer through their soul-searching are suddenly dull where they had once been intriguing. After reuniting, the friendly rapport between the couple changes as well, replaced by formal speak as one would talk to a business associate. What began as two strong, well-formulated characters slowly dissipates into a much weaker form, leaving them both uninteresting and unlikeable.

As an afterthought (developing late into the second half of the story), the author throws in a plot twist, aforementioned as a ‘whodunit.’ However, the mystery falls flat, not inciting any sense of suspense or interest. It’s resolved with just as little enthusiasm, almost as though it had no real bearing on the story to begin with.

There is an impression of unfulfilled potential in this storyline, which is regrettable when accompanied by such a strong beginning. It’s almost as if the author lost her passion for it along the way, or perhaps, felt rushed to reach its completion. Either way, Hello, My Love finishes below expectations.

******
Hello, My Love
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Julez
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Post by Julez »

I love your review. A pity this book didn't meet your expectations.
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

Thank you for your comments! I was disappointed, too, especially with such a strong first half.
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Spirit Wandering
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Post by Spirit Wandering »

Good review! I also recently read a novel that disguised itself as a mystery, with that element being poorly written. It takes a real talent to write a good mystery. This seems to escape authors of other genres, who try to throw in a "whodunit" component and then miss the mark with it.
Interested in books that help one's spirit move beyond the ordinary.
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

Thank you, Spirit Wandering, for your comments! I think in this case, the author was trying to add another dimension to the romance, but it just wasn't well-executed. Thanks again for reading my review!
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Post by Christina O Phillips »

It almost sounds like this could have been two very different books. It's a shame it started out so strongly only to fizzle out.
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

Christina O Phillips wrote:It almost sounds like this could have been two very different books. It's a shame it started out so strongly only to fizzle out.
That's a great point, Christina. It definitely felt like the characters became different people halfway through, and not because they had naturally evolved due to circumstance, but just randomly changed their personalities. Thanks for reading my review!
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Post by Sonireallyam »

It is too bad the book wasn't good enough, the book cover is great though.
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

Thanks for reading, Sonireallyam. The book cover is very inviting...did not really gel with the storyline, though.
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Post by MLove83 »

It really is too bad. I wanted this to be a great story! Parts of it seemed to drag, then other parts felt rushed.

I agree about it feeling like two different stories. It felt like a few pages from a mystery book were torn out, then randomly slapped into the last part of this romance book in an attempt to liven it up.
"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one."
Latest Review: "Hello, My Love" by Evy Journey
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Brandi Noelle
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Post by Brandi Noelle »

Thanks for taking time to read my review, MLove83! I could not agree with you more! It’s a shame, because the plot had so much potential.
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Post by kdstrack »

Nice review. Sorry you couldn't enjoy the book more. I wondered about Elise being so naive as to get involved with a playboy. But,as you said, she turned into a mature person later on in the book! Thanks for your review.
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