Official Review: Dreams Deferred by L.J. Taylor
Posted: 13 Nov 2015, 10:09
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Dreams Deferred" by L.J. Taylor.]
4 out of 4 stars
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L.J. Taylor’s romance suspense novel, Dreams Deferred, is the second book in the Brooks Sisters Dreams Series. The first book is about Kathy Brooks while this book focuses on, Ivy Brooks, Kathy’s sister.
Ivy goes to jail for a crime she did not commit out of both fear for her life and love for her now former boyfriend, Zeke. She knows no one can turn on Zeke and live. He is someone who is not afraid of getting his hands dirty and doing what he has to do to stay out of jail.
While in jail, Ivy learns she is pregnant and is determined to keep it from Zeke, whom never wanted kids. If he ever found out he would not allow her to keep the baby. After three years in jail, she has sworn off the bad boys she typically goes for and promises to make a better life for Omari, her son. She is determined to make better choices and is not sure her best friend’s gorgeous brother is the right person to get involved with.
Ivy has everything lining up perfectly. She has a good job, an apartment for her and Omari, and protective friends and family; could everything really be that easy?
At first, I was unsure how I felt about the book being written in third person. I didn’t know if I would be able to get into it and feel what the characters were feeling but after the first chapter I forgot all about it. The author has a way of making you feel as if you are right there in the middle of the drama. It’s as if you are inside the character’s minds.
The author does a good job of developing the characters. I like how they go through real life struggles. It shows Ivy struggling as a single mom and going through the real life problems of a single parent. She struggles to find a job that will hire a former criminal and pay enough to support her and Omari. Additionally, it shows the struggle of Ivy not going back to her old lifestyle and making better choices.
I also enjoy books that empower women. I love how Ivy is not afraid of Zeke and will not back down when he tries to bully her. She stands up for what she believes is right and will not allow Zeke to control her life by fear. I love how independent she is with minimal help from family and friends.
The only parts of the book that were hard to read were when the author would try to make the characters sound tough. Even though the characters were supposed to be a little rough around the edges, I feel like the author tried too hard to make the characters sound threatening from time to time. It came off as unnatural and not believable.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It constantly grabbed my attention and I could not put it down. I enjoy a book that keeps you guessing what will happen next; this book was definitely unpredictable. For these reasons I rate Dreams Deferred a 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
******
Dreams Deferred
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
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4 out of 4 stars
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L.J. Taylor’s romance suspense novel, Dreams Deferred, is the second book in the Brooks Sisters Dreams Series. The first book is about Kathy Brooks while this book focuses on, Ivy Brooks, Kathy’s sister.
Ivy goes to jail for a crime she did not commit out of both fear for her life and love for her now former boyfriend, Zeke. She knows no one can turn on Zeke and live. He is someone who is not afraid of getting his hands dirty and doing what he has to do to stay out of jail.
While in jail, Ivy learns she is pregnant and is determined to keep it from Zeke, whom never wanted kids. If he ever found out he would not allow her to keep the baby. After three years in jail, she has sworn off the bad boys she typically goes for and promises to make a better life for Omari, her son. She is determined to make better choices and is not sure her best friend’s gorgeous brother is the right person to get involved with.
Ivy has everything lining up perfectly. She has a good job, an apartment for her and Omari, and protective friends and family; could everything really be that easy?
At first, I was unsure how I felt about the book being written in third person. I didn’t know if I would be able to get into it and feel what the characters were feeling but after the first chapter I forgot all about it. The author has a way of making you feel as if you are right there in the middle of the drama. It’s as if you are inside the character’s minds.
The author does a good job of developing the characters. I like how they go through real life struggles. It shows Ivy struggling as a single mom and going through the real life problems of a single parent. She struggles to find a job that will hire a former criminal and pay enough to support her and Omari. Additionally, it shows the struggle of Ivy not going back to her old lifestyle and making better choices.
I also enjoy books that empower women. I love how Ivy is not afraid of Zeke and will not back down when he tries to bully her. She stands up for what she believes is right and will not allow Zeke to control her life by fear. I love how independent she is with minimal help from family and friends.
The only parts of the book that were hard to read were when the author would try to make the characters sound tough. Even though the characters were supposed to be a little rough around the edges, I feel like the author tried too hard to make the characters sound threatening from time to time. It came off as unnatural and not believable.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It constantly grabbed my attention and I could not put it down. I enjoy a book that keeps you guessing what will happen next; this book was definitely unpredictable. For these reasons I rate Dreams Deferred a 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
******
Dreams Deferred
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
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