C. F, Rose

I enjoyed this book to the point where I was up until 4am just to finish it. The characters were flawed, multi-dimensional, and believable. You want to root for all of them to get their happy ending. The Walsh brothers were amazing. They’ve all been through so much and find their own ways to cope while still remaining loyal to their family and the O’Cleary brothers are awesome too. Evan holds her own among all the overprotective testosterone and doesn’t let them run over her. The story show more unfolded gradually without the pace feeling slow or stilted and kept you wondering until the end. Overall a great read and I look forward to reading more by the author. show less

I really enjoyed this book. Both Evan and Jesse are strong people, but are also dealing with their personal demons. I was eager to keep reading, the story hooked me in. The pace dragged a bit in the last third of the book, and the ending seemed abrupt. But really good writing and character development - I was surprised this was a first book but learned that the author had prior writing experiece. I hope to read other books about Evan and Jesse's brothers!

3.5 Stars

I really liked this book – there was a lot going on, but the overall story was good. Evan and Jesse have a very brief history so there is an element of a second chance, which I enjoy, and there is also a bit of mystery thrown in which allows us to really get to know the characters. And I’m a sucker for sports romances, so there were a lot of things I really liked about this book.

Both Jesse and Evan are carrying around some issues from their past. Jesse turned to alcohol as a way show more of helping him grieve the loss of his brother. Evan has closed herself off after breaking free from an abusive relationship. To say these two had some issues to overcome is an understatement. When they meet up 10 years after their very brief affair, they are not the same two people who shared a crazy 48 hours together. Neither one of them are good at communicating or sharing so a lot of things that may have been talked out right away are left unsaid and/or unknown to each other which causes a lot of angst between them.

One thing that seemed to slow the reading down a bit was that there were too many things going on at once. The overall story of Jesse and Evan finding their way back to each other was good, but there were many sub-plots going on within and between their two families which seemed to bog me down a little. I liked the abusive ex story line, but some of the other things I think could have been left out or reworked to keep the pace up.

Overall, I think this was a great debut novel for the author it definitely has me curious to see if there will be any other books that deal with Jesse’s brothers.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. show less

The Whole Man is an emotional contemporary romance story that will tug at the heartstrings and stir the soul.

Author CF Rose weaves a beautifully written debut tale full of pain, angst, drama, humor, and passionate romantic moments that easily draws the reader into Evan and Jesse's story. A passionate one-night stand leaves Evan with a broken heart when Jesse leaves her, but an unexpected reunion ten years later unleashes dormant feelings, and a slow building development of their relationship show more makes this compelling story worth the read, as their reconnection is put to the test by serious personal issues in their lives.

You can't help but feel for Jesse as he struggles with his personal issues and the overwhelming loss of his brother, while Evan deals with her own emotional baggage and an abusive ex-turned-stalker. Maybe together they can help each other conquer their issues, heal, and find love and happiness. The author does a wonderful job of interweaving the serious issues that plagued Evan and Jesse with the blossoming of their second chance romance.

The Whole Man has an intriguing cast of characters who are realistic, flawed, and easy to relate to; witty dialogue and engaging interactions; and a breathtakingly compelling and powerful storyline that will take you on a hauntingly beautiful journey where you will experience the full gamut of emotions. As a baseball fan, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the inclusion of baseball in the storyline, two thumbs up!

If you are looking for a hopeful and heartwarming love story that follows the journey of two broken people who learn to let go of their dark pasts and secrets, and open themselves up to a healing and loving relationship, then The Whole Man is the story for you!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book review tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

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