Girl By Any Other Name

<a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/SchillerAgirlbyanyothernameTitlebySueBee_zpse3a4378b.jpg.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389946978i/8108517.jpg" alt=" photo SchillerAgirlbyanyothernameTitlebySueBee_zpse3a4378b.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20NIck%20Nacks/chalkboardbysb_zpsab97330d.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108518.gif" alt=" photo chalkboardbysb_zpsab97330d.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20hands/handsbysb_zps7f59f802.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108519.gif" alt=" photo handsbysb_zps7f59f802.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20Kissing%20%20LIPS/kiss3bysb_zpsd18ed777.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108520.gif" alt=" photo kiss3bysb_zpsd18ed777.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><b>★★★★! A Girl By Any Other Name (stand-alone). Childhood friends are separated by tragedy! Find out what happened while the hero won’t let go!</b><br><br><a> <blockquote> <i> <b>“Everyone told me I needed to move on. That was like asking me to pierce my own flesh and crush my empty, beating heart. They wanted me to toss it away and continue to breathe. How could a man function without his heart?”</b> </i> </blockquote> </a><br><b>A Girl By Any Other Name</b> is the story of College instructor <b>Caleb Tanner, Cal and Sylvie Cranston</b>. It started some <b>fifteen years back</b> when young Sylvie and her father moved in next door to Cal and his family. <br><br>The story is <b>alternating between present time and the past</b> giving us glimpses into their <b>childhoods and friendship</b>. But all along we know that Cal in present day has a hard time accepting that Sylvie passed away.<br><br>We follow them as they grow into teenagers and the <b>deep bond they form</b> knowing that something bad must have happened in their teens. But what? <br><br>Back in present day <b>Cal’s obsessing over a new student in his class</b>. She reminds him of Sylvie. He is teaching <b>English literature</b> at the local College. Who is she? And <b>what happened to Sylvie?</b><br><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20Heroes/ct4bysb_zps367af567.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108521.gif" alt=" photo ct4bysb_zps367af567.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><i> <b><br><a>Caleb James Tanner, Cal:</a> (10 years) 25 years/College instructor English Literature/dark blond hair/gray eyes/6’2”/limp/ex- high school quarterback.</b> </i><br><br>I loved <b>Caleb James Tanner, Cal</b> as a child and teen. He was such an endearing charming young boy. But unfortunately I <b>didn’t feel as strong of a connection</b> with Cal the adult. Seven words to describe <b>Cal: Noble, endearing, relentless, determined, loyal, sweet and romantic</b>.<br><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20heroine/heroinebysb_zps70a45d51.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108522.gif" alt=" photo heroinebysb_zps70a45d51.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><i> <b><br><a>Sylvie Cranston:</a> (10 years) 22 years/College graduate/artist/student/dark brown hair/dark brown eyes/tattoo.</b> </i><br><br><b>Sylvie Cranston</b> remained an enigma for most of the story. She needed to in order to keep the mystery going. Four words to describe <b>Sylvie: Intriguing, soft-spoken, sweet, charismatic and lonely</b>.<br><br><b>A Girl By Any Other Name</b> is filled with <b>wonderful firsts</b>; sweet and tender moments, but also <b>sadness, disappointments and grief</b>. Once the facts of Sylvie’s death were revealed I had felt a bit anticlimactic. The storyline felt a bit <b>predictable and monotonous</b> only to <b>throw me the biggest curb ball</b>. What a shocker!!!!<br><br>The remainder of the story is a suspenseful read filled with <b>danger, intrigue and surprises</b> seeing them off to the <b>perfect ending!</b> I did <b>wish her secret</b> would have been more complex and I did have an issue with Joe. But the other shocker made up for most of it.<br><br><b>Interesting and suspenseful</b> plot! A very <b>sweet and endearing</b> hero, Cal Tanner! I very much <b>enjoyed</b> their story, but didn’t love love. <b>4 stars!</b><br><br><a> <blockquote> <i> <b>“Not easier, but the pain is like a knife. It’s sharp at first, and tears through you. It’ll always be there, but after a while it dulls.”</b> </i> </blockquote> </a><br>***<br>Hero rating: 4 stars <br>Heroine rating: 3.5 stars<br>Sex scenes rating: 4 stars<br>Sex scenes frequency: 3.5 stars<br>Storyline concept rating: 4 stars<br>Storytelling skills rating: 4 stars<br>Story ending rating: 4 stars<br>Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 4 stars<br>************************************************<br><b>Overall rating: 4 stars<br><br>Would I recommend this book: Sure.<br>Would I re-read this book: Maybe later.<br>Would I read future books by this author: Yes.</b><br><br><a href="http://s1340.photobucket.com/user/smkarl/media/GIF%20hands/pianobysb_zpsd8ff125a.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1389946978ra/8108523.gif" alt=" photo pianobysb_zpsd8ff125a.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a>

<img width="100%" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1391888275i/8471522._SY540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br>First, here's my casting for Caleb:<br><img width="100%" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1391888275i/8471523.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Well this was really different read and I liked it!!<br><br>From the moment I heard about this book, I wanted to read it. The blurb alone gave me goosebumps and had me <em>so </em>intrigued. Check it out...<br><br><b> <blockquote> <em>Ten-year-old Caleb Tanner wants nothing to do with Sylvie Cranston, the annoying weird girl who moves next door to him and gets him in trouble for swearing. But at twelve, they become friends when he teaches her how to hook a fishing line and she shows him the value of a selfless act. At fourteen, he falls in love with her.</em> <br> <br> <em>At sixteen, she dies.</em> <br> <br> <em>Or so he’s told. But Cal never believes it. Sylvie has become part of his soul. He knows her like the steady beating of his own heart. He’d know if she was dead. Cal looks for her, prays for her and finally he just waits for her.</em> <br> <br> <em>Nine years later, she walks into the community college English class Cal is teaching. Only this girl claims her name is Sophie Becker and she doesn’t know him. Cal knows better. He’s determined to get the girl he loves back—and protect her from the danger that took her away all those years ago.</em> </blockquote> </b><br>See?? Woah, right?<br><br>**** There are NO spoilers here, just so you know! ****<br><br>I loved the premise and the story had me hooked me right from the very first page with this quote...<br><br><blockquote> <em>"I never planned for Sylvie Cranston to be my best friend. I never expected her to be the muse in all my dreams, or the girl who later haunted my nightmares. I certainly never planned to fall in love with her, but that was exactly what happened.</em> <br> <br> <em>Everyone told me I needed to move on. That was like asking me to pierce my own flesh and crush my empty, beating heart. They wanted me to toss it away and continue to breathe. How could a man function without his heart?"</em> </blockquote><br>I loved the way the first half of the book was laid out. It was told in a mixture of present day events where Caleb was an adult living his life but searching for this girl who he was convinced was still alive, and those chapters were intermingled with flashbacks to their childhood together that started when they were both 10 years old on the day when Sylvie's family moved in next door to Caleb's.<br><br>Something about the whole story really drew me in.... almost as though there was a whole lot more beneath the surface that I just wasn't seeing yet. I loved that about it. It kept me guessing and theorizing and trying to piece the story together as I read. OMG some scenes gave me <em>chills</em> and shivers!! I kept looking for clues because I knew everything in the past was leading up to her supposed death and I was trying to see if I could understand what was happening.<br><br><b> <blockquote> <em>"It doesn't matter if you're behind a locked door under the covers or walking around in the middle of the night. If something's gonna get you, it'll get you no matter what."</em> </blockquote> </b><br>There was something very endearing about the way Caleb and Sylvie's friendship built. It just made my heart squeeze. And it had that beautiful quality of being able to be light and carefree one moment and then delivering a line that just really hit your in the heart the next.<br><br><b> <blockquote> <em>"The girl didn't have to win my heart. She owned it outright."</em> </blockquote> </b><br>I also really enjoyed the way the flashback scenes were mixed in with the present day. In the present day, I couldn't help but wonder if this new girl really was Sylvie, or was she someone else? Was he crazy for holding on to the idea of her being alive? Or was he the only sane one of them all? It sounded like he was a little crazy but there <em>was</em> a chance he was right.<br><br><b> <blockquote> <em> "I restrained myself from grabbing her arm, snatching off those sunglasses and releasing her hair from the baseball cap. It was a surefire way to get myself canned or grant me a one-way hall pass to a psychiatric hospital… I was searching for a dead girl after all."</em> </blockquote> </b><br>I really loved that I didn't know the whole story up front and that it all got revealed in these little bits and pieces, in layers. Each time, I figured something out, I had a little mini <em>ahah!!</em> moment in my head.<br><br>More than once, the story brought tears to my eyes. Initially the romantic element was slow building but in a way that naturally reflected them growing up together... As the story went on though, Sylvie kept keeping him at bay though and while this would normally have frustrated me, it didn't here because I knew there was something <em>more</em> going on with her, something secret that I didn't know yet.<br><br><b> <blockquote> <em>"It doesn't matter what we call ourselves. We belong to each other."</em> </blockquote> </b><br>Ok now, about the second half of the book. I felt a little differently about it than I did the first half. A big reveal is made exactly half way through that kind of takes the book in a different direction. After this point, I have to admit that the story lost a little bit of that <em>spark</em> that had me so connected to the first half of the book. So far, the story had been a little mysterious, a little romantic, and everything was building in these layers together and honestly, it was pretty awesome. But after the reveal, things changed and the whole vibe of the story felt... different. It was no longer quite as plot focused, and there was just a <em>lot</em> of sex. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind sex in books <em>at all</em> (heck, I read romance after all) but I like there to be a leeeeetle more plot mixed in with it all than there was here. So, I'd say the story fell a little flat to me for a little while. It wasn't bad at all though, please don't think that! But it just wasn't quite the same for me as the first half. And there were also a few things here and there that kinda made me a squint skeptically at the page... But then it picked back up again! There was a new twist that I swear I <em>never </em>saw coming (and I love when that happens!!) that again spun the book in a different direction again and really re-engaged me into the story. I also loved the ending and the epilogue was very sweet. The last line even made me teary.<br><br>Oh, just a random note -- A few readers told me they thought the blurb reminded them a little of <em>Hopeless</em> and it's true to a certain extent that there are similarities but I can say that having read the book and knowing the twist, the plot is actually <u>not</u> at all the same. It just seems that way a little until you find out what really happened.<br><br>So overall, I'd say I definitely enjoyed this book. It was really different and kept me guessing. I loved Cal's devotion and how he never wanted to give up and I loved the way the whole story was set up. Also, it's a standalone romance so you get the completed story told here with no loose ends.<br><br><strong>Rating: 4+ stars</strong><br><br>****************************<br><br><b> For more of my reviews, book news and updates:<br>✦ <a href="http://aestasbookblog.com" rel="nofollow noopener">Main blog: Aestas Book Blog</a><br>✦ <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aestas-Book-Blog/332404836826905" rel="nofollow noopener">Facebook Blog Page</a><br>✦ <a href="https://twitter.com/AestasBookBlog" rel="nofollow noopener">Twitter</a> <br><br><a href="http://aestasbookblog.com" rel="nofollow noopener"><img width="100%" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380306821i/688100._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"></a></b>

4.5--<b>Caleb Kicks Ass</b>--Stars!<br><br>Another great M.K. Schiller read. This one was very different from her first two books but just as good. <br><br>The undertones are more serious and there's some mystery and suspense surrounding the story but I still found myself laughing in parts. And crying and swooning. That Caleb sure was something!<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380363778ra/715277.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Sylvie and Caleb meet when they are 10 years old. After the death of Sylvie's mom, she and her dad move to Prairie Marsh, Texas...right next door to Caleb. <br><br>Sylvie is weird. She hides behind baggy clothes. She tried to blend and not stand out. But she's smart and funny and sweet. Caleb doesn't like Sylvie much at first but that quickly changes. <br><br><b> <i>"You were always the most beautiful girl, Sylvie. I always wondered why you hid that from people, but I felt special because I saw it so clearly."</i> </b><br><br>Over the years, Caleb falls in love with Sylvie. But Sylvie always keeps him at a distance. They share a few stolen kisses along the way, provided comfort to each other in times of need...above all else they were best friends. <br><br>When Caleb and Sylvie were 16 their lives change ever. Caleb is told that Sylvie is dead but in his heart he knows she's not. But if Sylvie's not dead then where is she??<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388597695ra/7882030.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Flash forward 9 years and Caleb is now an instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. forced to move on and give up his hopes and dreams of finding Sylvie, the love of his life. The first day of class he meets Sophie Becker. <br><br>Sophie reminds Caleb SO much of Sylvie. But is it wishful thinking or is it really Sylvie? <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1388597510i/7881942.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>The story flashes between past and present until eventually Caleb gets his Sylvie back. Now he's determined to never let her go and protect her from what took her away in the first place. <br><br>I'm going to have to give M.K. some props....she really got me with the big reveal/twist. I did not see that coming at all. <br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388597510ra/7881943.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>This story had me completely engaged from beginning to end. I absolutely fell in love with Caleb and Sylvie. I felt their pain. I felt their sadness. I was happy when they finally found their way back to each other. <br><br>This story had everything. It made me laugh, it made me cry. It had suspense. It had sexy times. It was perfect. <br><br><b> <i>"You saved me in every way a person can be saved. You gave me courage and strength when I needed it the most. You were a friend when I had no one. You became my family and made me yours the day you slept on my floor when I was twelve and I have loved you since that day. You weren't my reason for almost dying. You are my reason for living."</i> </b><br><br><a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/7223625.M_K__Schiller" title="M.K. Schiller" rel="noopener">M.K. Schiller</a> really....just<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380222758ra/623797.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy">

<span>[image error]</span><br><br>This book is available for early download through…<br><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://www.totallybound.com/index.ph">https://www.totallybound.com/index.ph</a>... <br><br>M.K. Schiller delivers a heartfelt story about two young kids Cal Tanner and Sylvie Cranston who grow to be friends and fall in love as young children. <br><br><b> <i>”I told you I can’t be friends with you anymore. It’s too complicated.”<br><br>“I think our relationship is as simple as breathing.”</i> </b><br><br>Sylvie is the weird girl who moved in next store to Cal, the sheriff’s son and promising football star. They have an unlikely but unbreakable bond.<br><br><b> <i>”Because it doesn’t matter what we call ourselves. We belong to each other.”</i> </b><br><br>The author tells the story brilliantly while taking the characters through childhood till the tragic end. A reader holds out hope right along with Cal that his “Lenore” isn't gone forever. <br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388525309ra/7859651.gif" width="325" height="300" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br> <br>This story had action, poetry, some fantastic twists, and some really steamy scenes. <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1492259982i/22499196.gif" width="320" height="250" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Kudos to M.K. Schiller. This is indeed a well written book that will have readers hanging on edge their entire read!<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1492259982ra/22499195.gif" width="300" height="275" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br>

<br><b>4.5 'I'll Wait For You Forever' Stars!</b><br><br>Wow, another hit my MK Schiller! I have been glomming her short back-list since reading <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/18660750.The_Do_Over" title="The Do-Over by M.K. Schiller" rel="noopener">The Do-Over</a> last week, and this was another great read. But unlike her other two books which were solid romance comedies, A GIRL BY ANY OTHER NAME surprised me since I would classify it as a romance suspense with a deeper and more serious storyline. Personally, I think it really shows the range that this talented author is capable of writing. <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1391388573i/8380374.jpg" alt="" width="370" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>A GIRL BY ANY OTHER NAME explores the tender and undying love between Cal and Sylvia that began at the age of ten. Their story unfolds with many back-flashes to their youth, and back again to present time. I am not always a fan of the back and forth timeline, but in this case I believed it really enhanced the overall story. <br><br>Sylvia is the proverbial girl-next-door, and a bit odd. Her father and her moved next door to Cal's family when she was just ten, shortly after her mother passed away. In time their friendship turned into a first love, but not without challenges from school buddies and family members. At age 16 she disappears from his life, believed to dead, but Cal can't accept it. He knows her too well, and while he hasn't a clue where she is or why she would disappear, it sends him on a life long journey to find her. (I won't lie, I cried buckets at this part of the book!!)<br><br>Present day is ten years after her disappearance, where Cal is an instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. What unfolds in the later half of the book reveals answers to a lot of questions we had in the first half, and FINALLY we get a reunion that made my heart sing! It was steamy HOT too!! But danger still lurks, and revealing her secret can be the most dangerous thing for all of them. <br><br>I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even the second half. I agree with other reviewers that is took a turn at that point of the story, but mostly because we lost the back-flashes which worked so well in the first half. I really missed the connection between past and present times. But I loved getting to see these two together again FINALLY, and with a chance for real happiness. I didn't always like Cal's possessiveness, but I understood it. It was a great read, looking forward to more by this author. <br><br>I would highly recommend this to fans of sexy steamy romance suspense stories. <br><br>

<b>2.5 stars</b><br /><br />Such a disappointment...<br /><br />The first half was really good. It was a bit angsty. I shed some tears and giggled quite a few times. Got so connected with them. Loved the flashbacks more than the present. The MCs were even more mature back then. The main reason I kept reading though was I wanted to find out the heroine's secret. She's such an aloof, but likeable character <b> <s>back then</s> </b>. The moment I found out what it was, I rolled my eyes. <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="009e3e7c-0687-4abb-a944-e1b0186e56be" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="009e3e7c-0687-4abb-a944-e1b0186e56be">Her dad’s an accountant for the <u>mafia</u>. I thought that was a bit overused already.</label> But it's still okay 'cuz I loved the drama.<br /><br />So it’s there on the blurb that she “died” or so he was told, right? The incidents prior, during, and after that, were actually one of the climactic parts of the story. No matter what they told him, he felt deep in his heart that she’s still alive. Oh my! Tears kept on flowing during those times. It was just heartbreaking…<br /><br />Moving on to the present time… He’s now an instructor teaching literature or something like that in a community college. And he’s still searching for his “Lenore”. It’s a poem (I think) written by Edgar Allan Poe. <b> <s>I could already see the similarities with Gabriel’s Inferno, especially when they kept on quoting classic authors.</s> </b><br /><br />Then, one day, he had this new student named Sophie Becker, which reminded him so much of his bff, Sylvie. <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="bea489d2-6bec-4029-aa85-5afdf62f65ad" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="bea489d2-6bec-4029-aa85-5afdf62f65ad">Yes, he’s right. Sophie was indeed Sylvie.</label> Sylvie “died” when they were 16. Would facial features change so much from 16 to 25? Hmmm… 16 to 25?! Nothing would change much! Even when you'd reach 30! People just looked older, but no drastic difference, unless you went through aesthetic enhancements. So that's what I thought, that maybe, Sophie underwent plastic surgery? But she did not! Then, why was he still skeptical about her?... IMO, the story went downhill from there…<br /><br />The last half of the story was <u>ridiculous</u>! The revelation fell so flat! It felt like they’re just at a high school reunion reminiscing the past. That’s not the right reaction! This was Sylvie, the bff, who others thought were dead and the one he’d been searching for the whole time! <br /><br />After the reminiscing/sharing/talking, all they did was sexing! Sex, sex, and more sex. It’s fine as long as the scenes were hot… But they’re not! <u>Not at all!</u> The connection was lost! These were not the same people back then. They became too shallow for me. Oh yes! Some things had happened indeed... and some *eye rolling* <b> <s>from me</s> </b> had happened as well…<br /><br />To sum it up, it was okay. I enjoyed their younger years. But that's about it...<br />

<br><br><br>3.5-4 stars<br><br>So... I think when I read this book I was suffering with a case of : I can't get over my Professor Dean so naturally I wasn't really interested.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027086.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>This book was sweet- Caleb Tanner loved one person his whole life... His best friend, his next door neighbor Sylvie Cranston.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027087.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>They're everything to each other but Sylvie never have into her feelings....<br><br>But she always had Cal's heart....<br><br>One day Sylvie is taken away and Cal is told she's dead. But Cal knows in his heart she's not.... <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027088._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>And he will spend eternity waiting for her or looking for her....<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027089.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Until she finds him first....<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027090.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>Years later....<br><br>Things Cal could never imagine are the answers to all his questions but now that he knows, he will do everything in his power not to loose her this time...<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027091.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>The story has scenes from the present and past which is insightful and has a good story line.... <br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1389387162i/8027092._SY540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br>

4.5 stars!<br><br>Loved this story! It kept me intrigued throughout the whole book and had an overall great storyline.<br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/tumblr_men53x6ars1rdh9azo1_400_zps45716fe5.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388686237ra/7902198.gif" alt="THUMBS UP photo tumblr_men53x6ars1rdh9azo1_400_zps45716fe5.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>This book tells a past and a present story that somewhat come together. Caleb Tanner has written a book named Raven Girl based off experiences with his childhood love, Sylvie Cranston who was taken from him as a teenager. The book goes between excerpts from "Raven Girl" and his present life.<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1388688729i/7902435.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br>They first met at the age of 10 when he thinks she is the weird girl who moves in next door. Over time their friendship develops as well as a place in Caleb's heart for Sylvie. Sylvie refuses to go out with Caleb though, no matter how hard he persists so they remain best friends.<br><br><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388688851ra/7902453.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><br><b> <i>"Because it doesn’t matter what we call ourselves. We belong to each other."</i> </b><br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/large_zps78e0f4c9.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388686237ra/7902199.gif" alt="LOVE photo large_zps78e0f4c9.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>Sylvie is taken from Caleb through tragic circumstances and her memory haunts him as his "Lenore" because he cannot come to terms with her death.<br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/tumblr_m046plobhI1qcpghno4_r3_250_zps37a095fe.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388686237ra/7902200.gif" alt="COME BACK photo tumblr_m046plobhI1qcpghno4_r3_250_zps37a095fe.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>Fast forward nine years, good ole country boy Caleb is now an instructor for an English class in Portland, Oregon and still haunted by the memory of Sylvie.<br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/tumblr_mgfzh7UldG1qhd14co2_250_zps7280075a.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388686237ra/7902201.gif" alt="EMPTY photo tumblr_mgfzh7UldG1qhd14co2_250_zps7280075a.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>He is teaching a class when student, Sophie Becker, comes in and he feels like she is Sylvie. She looks just like what he expected her to look like, but its been years and Sylvie is dead. Or is she...Does he risk approaching her and seeming like a crazy person? Or just try to move on with his life like his family wants him to do?<br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/tumblr_meb3xvyHk01rln1tdo1_500_zpsa9628e90.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388689101ra/7902500.gif" alt="move on with your life photo tumblr_meb3xvyHk01rln1tdo1_500_zpsa9628e90.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br><b> <i>"She looked so much like Sylvie, but different too. I was mesmerised"</i> </b><br><br>When I got to the twist in the story, I was floored.<br><br><a href="http://s59.photobucket.com/user/cotejb/media/FUNNY%202/tumblr_lxuzrcEOAz1qije5xo1_500_zps7be2daa9.gif.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1388686237ra/7902202.gif" alt="what photo tumblr_lxuzrcEOAz1qije5xo1_500_zps7be2daa9.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><br>I will say I also enjoyed all the supporting characters as well. Their details helped tell the story. My only complaint about this book is its supposed to be set in the U.S. but its obvious MK Schiller is British since we see words such as favourite, colour, neighbour, recognise as opposed to using the U.S. spellings favorite, color, neighbor, recognize.<br><br><br><br><br><i>ARC provided for honest review.</i>

<img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1521910150i/25268457.jpg" width="500" height="110" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1508674779i/24242662.jpg" width="500" height="70" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> ????????????? this book was very "meh" for me. ? The first half ?????? from past to present too much. ? Then the <b>???????</b> happened ??? too easily, and from there basically <b>₦Ø₮Ⱨł₦₲</b> much happened until the very ??????????? ending. ? I also didn't see any need for the <b>f-¢к вυ∂∂у</b> inclusion of Molly. ? That was the very definition of ????????? OW drama...sigh. ?<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1476947892i/20898919.jpg" width="500" height="85" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"><p><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1562943598i/27816508.jpg" width="20" height="10" alt="description" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> <a href="https://betweenthebookends.recinella.dk/" rel="nofollow noopener">BLOG</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BetweenTheBookendsBlog/" rel="nofollow noopener">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/BetTheBookEnds" rel="nofollow noopener">TWITTER</a> | <a href="https://www.pinterest.dk/eve1972/between-the-bookends/" rel="nofollow noopener">PINTEREST</a> | <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3780351478" rel="nofollow noopener">BOOKBUB</a></p>

I feel like I'm on a roll here--finding new to me authors and completely enjoying their work! This book was no exception and I loved it. Sylvie Cranston moves to Prairie Marsh, Texas, next door to Cal Tanner. They're both 10, and over the next Several years grow from reluctant friend to best friends to friends in love. At 16, things between Cal and Sylvie have reached a precipice: he wants more, she does too but won't give in. Why?? But then tragedy strikes and Cal is left searching for the one girl that will always be his ONE. <br /><br />They say she was killed. They tell him to abandon his misguided plight, to move on with his life. But Cal will never move on, never forget Sylvie because he simply believes she never died. Fast forward to present day: Cal is 25 and working as an instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. He teaches literature and enjoys his job but has never gotten over Sylvie. His relationships with women weigh heavy on the physical but nil on the emotional. Until Sophie Becker walks into his classroom and his whole world turns upside down. <br /><br />This book was so sweet and tender at times. It was told from Cal's POV for the most part and jumped between past and present. When Sylvie disappeared from Cal's life I felt his pain acutely. He was hell-bent on finding answers and refusing to give in to the belief that she was gone. I was moved by his commitment to finding her and couldn't believe what he went through. When he finally confronts Sophie I wanted to cry happy tears! It was so beautiful, so touching. <br /><br />But this isn't all butterflies and roses. There is a danger out there lurking, waiting, hoping to flush Sophie out. She's reluctant to fully commit to Cal and there were points she frustrated me like crazy! Cal finally finds what his heart has been looking for and he literally jumps head first into making up lost time. But Sylvie is scared and I understood that, but was still irritated that she couldn't see past her restraints. It might not make sense reading this but after reading the book you'll understand. <br /><br />The big plot twist towards the end BLEW ME AWAY! When I say unexpected, I'm not exaggerating. There was no way you could have anticipated what happened. It was genius. Left my mouth hanging wide open! The epilogue was beautiful and I wanted to cry happy tears again. Cal was a southern gentleman to the extreme. He was smart, loving, loyal and incredibly passionate. There were some seriously steamy scenes here too. <br />This was a beautiful and heartwarming story about the power of love, listening to your heart when everyone else doubts it and the beauty of second chances. I am definitely reading the rest of this author work. <br /><br />Standalone.