Jess's Book Blog: Review for the Matter of Choice by R.M. Alexander!!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Review for the Matter of Choice by R.M. Alexander!!

Title: Matter of Choice

Author: RM Alexander

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: January 21, 2014

Tour Host: Dreams Come True Promotions

Some promises can’t be kept.

Shannon Winters’ picture perfect marriage is in shambles after a car accident left her husband an amnesiac. The commitment to vows he doesn’t remember making keeps her fighting while covering up the parade of other women and a spectacle of bad behavior. Her career as owner and manager at a successful boutique hotel alongside the Hudson River keeps is her refuge, but, at thirty-seven years old, what she craves is the bond to be repaired.

Even twenty years after high school, Triston Keyes continues to be haunted by the memories of the girl he’d lost, the only woman he’s ever loved. When he meets Shannon during a vacation, he finally has the chance to apologize. It’s the only hope he has if he ever wants to fall in love with anyone else.

Sparks rekindle between them, and Shannon struggles to find a reason to stay true to a broken marriage which is quickly crumbling as she gravitates towards the forgotten love.

Until her husband pleas for her to come back.

But when the depth of betrayal is revealed, Shannon must choose her vows-and her beloved hotel-or to remain true to her heart; while Triston must fight to keep the past from catching up to his future.

Both know nothing is a matter of luck, but a matter of choice …

I did like this book... although I had some difficulty with it.

I honestly don't know what I would do if I was in Shannon Winter's shoes. She's married to a man who doesn't remember her, or even being married. One drunk driver took away his memory for almost two years, and it's been a lonely existence ever since. It also doesn't help matters that he is coming into her workplace drunk and looking to have a little fun.. with anyone else but her.

Then Triston Keyes happens to check into the hotel. Her first love who broke her heart twenty years ago. The feelings that she thought were long gone start to resurface. She's lonely, and craving attention. She would love her husband to be there, but that's a lost cause. She wants to stay true to her vows, but Greg makes things impossible for her to do that. She finally comes to her breaking point after one terrible incident at a banquet.

Tristan knows she's married, but the attraction and feelings he thought were forgotten come back. There were times in the book that I thought he should maintain distance, because Shannon was married. When he offers to be there as a friend for her lean on, Shannon takes him up on it. Her best friend Lauren knows what is going on, but she's acting secretive for some reason.

Then she catches Lauren in a very compromising position... and her world shatters.

Triston is there to pick up the pieces, and be the rock she so desperately needs. He wants her to leave Greg, but Shannon knows she can't. Her vows meant something, and she didn't want to not be there if Greg's memory came back.

I really did like this story... I felt horrible for Shannon to have to live this life that isn't complete. She was spending more and more time at her hotel, because it was her sanctuary away from the craziness of her life. Triston came into her life at just the right time.

I liked Triston, although he pushed her too hard at times when he knew she wasn't ready to be with him. She was a married woman, and he told her his feelings anyway. My head knew her marriage was over, but my heart was like... Dude, what are you doing? He didn't like seeing her husband constantly hurt her over and over again, and couldn't understand why she stayed with someone like that.

When she finally decides her marriage is no longer something she can fight for, he's happy to be the rock she so desperately needs.

“I think you’re underestimating my commitment here.”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself.”

“Am I?” He leaned forward, his knuckle cupping her chin as he edged it upwards and softly pressing his lips against her mouth. Her every fiber wanted to fight him, to push him away, but their skin pressed together felt too good, and she melted into him.

Slowly, they parted, her voice hoarse as she spoke. “We shouldn’t …” She couldn’t bear to open her eyes. She didn’t want to see the expectations and hope she imagined to be shimmering in his gaze, or reveal the shame and uncertainty she knew was in hers.

He pressed a finger against her lips, leaning forward to whisper in her ear, his breath intoxicatingly warm. “Don’t say ‘we shouldn’t’ anything. Open your eyes sweetheart, look at me.” He paused, and she could feel him back away. Setting her jaw firm, her lids eased open, staring into his gaze a mere inches away. “It was one kiss Shy. That’s all. And I won’t go further than that until you’re ready. But to make it clear, I love you. It might seem impossible, it’s been years and we haven’t spent much time together since I came to the Grande. But I realized this afternoon, when I took a jog down that path we walked… I loved you in high school. Honestly, truly loved you. I screwed it up. But the love never really went away.”

RM Alexander is an author of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance. Her current novel, "Matter of Choice" is releasing in January 2014.

She has been writing since she was 10 years old. Many times, she stopped writing for months or even years at a time, but always came back to it until, in 2009, an idea came to her she couldn't put down. Over the next two years, she wrote and revised "Shadows", which will becoming available in spring/summer of 2014.

Another novel, "Matter of Choice", found its way to paper in 2010 during the revision process for "Shadows". And as "Shadows" was making its rounds to literary agencies, "Matter of Choice" was finished and slated for release in January of 2014.

With characters who look for love in wrong places and are victims of the worse kind of betrayals while fighting for what they want and believe in, RM's novels promise a good read with unexpected twists and turns.

When she's not writing, RM is spending time with her husband and two small children in Michigan. She loves to travel, especially to Walt Disney World, and can often be found on Twitter or Facebook chatting with other authors and fans.