Bridge Over the Atlantic & Bridge of Hope - Lisa J. Hobman

 

Mallory Westerman is a full-figured, successful, young business woman living in Yorkshire, England. Though very career minded, she is extremely self-conscious about her ample curves and so her love life tends to pay the price. Concentrating solely on her business, she has almost given up on finding someone to love. That is until she literally trips into the arms of a stranger who becomes her Knight in shining armour. The immediate sexual and romantic spark that blossoms into love and the events that follow, irrevocably change Mallory’s life-path and self-image forever, but only go to prove that the road to true love is never smooth and that things don’t always turn out how you expect…

 

COMPANION NOVEL TO BRIDGE OVER THE ATLANTIC
Love is like a snowflake; beautiful but fleeting in its presence…
I’ve been in love. But I’ve also been lied to, betrayed by those closest to me and I’ve suffered loss. Sadly it’s those last three things that stick with me the most. The only real constants in my life are music, Angus my dog and Rhiannon; my guitar.
But things changed when she walked into my place of work. All blue eyes, curves and a warmth that could melt even my hardened heart. I was taken over by feelings that I didn’t expect so soon. Guilt plagued me and I took my anger out on her.
On Mallory.
But I fell fast and hard and there was nothing I could do to stop it. When she too became the victim of heartbreak I was the only one who understood her pain but I was the last person she wanted help from.
Would I ever convince her that we could be friends? And would I ever accept that she couldn’t love me back?

Okay, so I am an idiot! - At least I can admit it right? 

Anyway…here’s why I am an idiot…today.  I was looking on Net Galley, trying to find the next great read and saw the above blurb for Bridge of Hope and thought, well now that sounds interesting.  I loved the cover of the guy playing guitar and said – okay let’s give this one a try.  I completely and totally missed the little blue box off to the side that said “THIS IS A COMPANION NOVEL YOU IDIOT – DON’T REQUEST THIS IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK IT GOES WITH!” Okay, so maybe it didn’t exactly say that but it was something to that effect.  But when I went on Goodreads to add the book, I saw in big bold letters COMPANION NOVEL – and thought, well that’s no good – I’ve got to read the original book first and off to Amazon I went. 

So, this review will sort of be a review of both books since I read them together.   

Bridge of the Atlantic for me was a cute fun story…in the beginning.  I loved Sam and Mallory, and honestly thought how cute these two found each other and she literally falls in love with him.  He was such the perfect guy and I was like, sweet I can’t wait to stay tuned for this happily ever after.  (Also wondering why this seemed like a completely different story than the blurb I read for Bridge of  Hope – ummm, yeah) 

Then, this book became a train wreck because as soon as the chain of events started I KNEW what was going to happen, but I couldn’t look away.  I watched the story unfold and my heart was ripped out of my chest and pounced on.  I cried, literally big drop, sad tears.  And I fell apart. 

For a while after that I had a hard time pulling it together.  I struggled, not with the writing at all, I think this writer is a great story teller, but it was more the story itself.  I was still not over it.  Honestly, after all is said and done – I’m still not sure I’m over it.  I’ve accepted it, but my heart still hurts.   

And then we learn Greg’s story and damn if my heart didn’t break just a little bit more.  Holy hell, how do two people like this find each other to lean on when their lives have completely and totally fallen apart. 

The journey for me was a struggle.  But in the end I was happy to have taken the trip.  Now, that’s not to mean sometimes I didn’t want to shake the hell out of both of these characters – but to me, that’s just a testament to how invested I was in the story. 

Greg’s story, Bridge of Hope, it completed me.  I think I needed it.  Reading them back to back like I did, almost made me wish the first book had been dual POV, because I wonder if I would have struggled as much if I had been able to know all of what was going on in his mind.  What was going on in his beautiful, broken heart.  For such a self-proclaimed grumpy arse…the love he had for Mairi and the way his heart became open again – I wanted to reach into the story and hug him tight.   

The only negative I would have is the present/past back and forth.  Once the incident occurs, I didn’t want to go back in time with Sam and Mallory anymore.  It was too hard and I knew it wouldn’t lead me to anywhere good.  My wish was that we had gotten through all their past/present stuff earlier in the novel so I didn’t have to suffer as long.  And then I could have focused on moving forward and the future without being dragged back through the hurt.  But, that was me!  

All that being said I think Hobman did a beautiful job telling these heart-wrenching stories because the truth is, she didn’t just tell one story.  She told both in BotA and gave us more details in BoH.  If you read and love BotA, you absolutely have to read Greg’s story.  It’s a MUST!