Tug of Love
Author: Glynnis Rogero
Pub. Date: March 30, 2014
Acquired: From author/publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
Author Page: Amazon Author Page
Find “Tug of Love”: Amazon
I’m madder than a baby gator being swung by it’s tail! My best friend, Lucy, just told me I need to see a shrink because I have trust issues with men.
Really!? Me, Jamie Fulton, crazy? No way. Unless you call it crazy to have trusted my schizo father and my diabolical ex-boyfriend with my heart. Even after three years, I feel like an idiot every time I recall how I was one of those women in love who trusted blindly, when there were signs that something was wonky about him all along.
NOW I’M OUT OF TRUST AND OFF MEN.
In Lucy’s defense, maybe I am a bit heartless where men are concerned. You see, I’m a divorce attorney who only accepts female clients.
My reasons for the ‘females only’ rule is two-fold:
First, is my desire to see these women get what they deserve – a return of their dignity. Even though most of them readily admit their lives aren’t a romantic love story any longer, they are still surprised when their husband asks for a divorce. Of course, sometimes it’s the woman who initiates the divorce, but I always assume she has a good reason. Although, there is the occasional gold-digger that slithers under my door.
My second reason, is that I derive almost as much pleasure out of seeing them squirm as their wives do. Maybe more. The husband’s attorney (the males at least) call me ‘The Barracuda’. Do I care? About as much as the size of a no-see-um.
So…Lucy already had some heavy ammunition, even before I met a gorgeous man named Mick a few weeks ago in a most, let’s just say, unusual way. I reject all of his attempts to befriend me, in the days and weeks following our meeting. Lucy hears about Mick and tries to play matchmaker, but I’m having none of it.
Then Lucy tells me I need to “see someone” about my trust issues with men.
To reiterate – NOT GONNA HAPPEN! I barely restrain myself from throwing a great big ole’ hissy fit right here in the parking lot of my office building. I hold it together only because a hissy fit wouldn’t reflect well on my practice.
Undeterred, Lucy calls me out using dirty, underhanded tactics. She takes my shoulders, looks directly into my eyes and says sweetly, “Don’t you want your very own romantic love story, Jamie? Then the kicker, “Don’t you want babies?”
Okay, okay already, I’ll go see a shrink! But, there’s no way a shrink is going to fix my issues, they’re too ingrained in my personality. Besides, I told her, I’m perfectly willing to forego romance and go to the “bank”. She had the nerve to laugh in my face!
Of course, I couldn’t stay mad at Lucy for long.
Every year, she and I take a mini-vacation for our birthdays. We decide to go to a Fort Myers Beach Hotel for mine. I’m enjoying the sun, the serenity, the frozen daiquiris and my newly acquired beach read – a romantic comedy. Lucy asks me if it’s one of those historical, or contemporary love stories? I lie and tell her it’s a contemporary drama that just happens to include a bit of a romance.
She almost gets away with her ‘mmhum’ along with a knowing look over the top of her sunglasses that says I’m a sucker for romance. I stick my tongue out at her. Hey, I might be off men but women’s fiction often includes a romantic love story, so sue me.
Later in the day we kayak to a secluded island where we run into Mick. Really! He has me spitting fire one minute and humiliated to the point of wanting to bury myself head first in the sand the next. Hell, who needs a book; my life’s a contemporary drama!
Then Lucy does something that sends me into a tailspin. Will Lucy ever be able to forgive me for what comes next? Will I ever be able to trust men? The jury’s still out.
~My Review~
I won’t lie: There were a lot of positives and negatives with this book for me.
So, let’s start with the negatives and end on a good note, shall we?
While I absolutely LOVED the plot of the story, I feel like there were times that the story, itself, just wasn’t deep enough for me. So, maybe if you’re expecting a light, airy read this will tickle your fancy. But, I expected just a little more depth to the characters and plot.
I don’t feel like the reader had any reason to fall for the hero. Why should we root for him other than the fact that Jamie loves him?
And WHY does Jamie love him when she’s had only a few–very short–conversations with him?
Some of the story just didn’t add up to me and I felt like it was all just a means to an end.
WITH THAT SAID.
Jamie, herself, proved to be a very interesting and rounded character. I loved getting to know her back story and finding out what made her act the way she did.
And her friendship with Lucy is the kind of friendship everyone wants! But only some of us have!
So, that was very entertaining to read.
Again, I loved the plot concept. I thought that this would actually make an adorable movie if maybe a little more was written in to give it some weight.
All in all, I think Ms. Rogero has some talent! And, I’m VERY excited to see what she comes up with next!
~My Rating~
~About the Author~
When she’s not writing, she’s out volunteering, spending time with family and friends, going to the movies (popcorn is her favorite food), or traveling.
