Review: "Stormy" by Tina Gayle

Note: This ARC was provided by Romance Beckons via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay. Let me begin by saying that I wish I could fall in love with every book I read and that I could write glowing reviews each and every time. As an avid reader, I can appreciate the effort writers put into the books the create, and as a reviewer, I want to be able to encourage writers, especially new ones, to keep going after their dream and to keep writing. The fact is, not every book is a book I'm going to squee over and having to write a less than enthusiastic review pains me more than you can imagine because I honestly try to find something positive to write about, but the bottom line is: I need to be honest. So, here we go...

The premise of the Stormy was actually quite promising since reading the synopsis is what got me to click "Request" on NetGalley. Here we have two adults, one a widower and the other a divorcee. They worked together while both were still married to their respective spouses and then became friends, lending support when needed. They both realize that they want to take their relationship to the next level but neither is sure if the other wants the same thing. 

Sounds interesting, yes? I love second chance romances and complications in getting to the happily ever after are always a good thing since those often help the lead characters figure out if they're truly meant to be together. The thing is, the complications in this book were either fleeting or came out of left field for me. It's difficult to go into detail because I don't want to spoil the book for any readers who want to check it out for themselves. Let's just say that the fleeting complication was never fully explored and the one that came out of left field felt more like paranoia on the part of the female lead character than anything else.

There wasn't much character development and while I understand that they were friends prior to becoming lovers, everything felt rushed. I get that this is a short book and I've read novellas that are even shorter but I want some sort of build up because having that anticipation is what makes you want to keep turning the pages in a book. The lead characters were on fast forward from the beginning of the book 'til the end. It didn't feel like it was even about them being in love with each other all this time but more of pent-up lust and a need for companionship that was driving them on.

I know that the book I received was an ARC and may or may not be an uncorrected proof but if this is ready for publication, it needs to be looked over for editing issues. There were problems with grammar, word usage, and spelling. There's also a part in the book that jumped from one scene to the next without a much needed marker or gap in the formatting of the paragraphs to let the reader know that there was going to be a scene change.

Stormy wasn't a terrible book. Like I said, the synopsis was promising. I just felt it was lacking in certain aspects and I was left wanting. This just wasn't for me. I'm going to have to give this two stars. Sorry. :(

Release Date: 15 October 2014

Date read: 02 October 2014

Learn more about author Tina Gayle here.

You can buy Stormy and Ms. Gayle's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble.